International Medical Corps personnel are responding to a suspected cholera outbreak in the central Somali town of Beletweyne. Over the past few weeks, International Medical Corps has seen an increase in patients with acute watery diarrhea (AWD) in the area. At least one patient tested positive for cholera and is now being treated by an International Medical Corps team. Since the beginning of January International Medical Corps has treated 171 suspected cases.
Due to International Medical Corps’ long-term involvement in Somalia, the organization had cholera supplies in place and was able to quickly establish a treatment center. As the lead agency in the Cholera Task Force for the area, International Medical Corps is working closely with other organizations to make sure efforts are closely coordinated.
“International Medical Corps has worked for years to improve the bad conditions in which Somalis are living. The floods and the fighting have made everything worse. A cholera outbreak is the latest humanitarian toll of the recent and long-term problems all Somalis face,” says Dr. Patrick Mweki, International Medical Corps Country Director for Somalia.
International Medical Corps’ commitment to the people of Somalia began in 1991 when it was the first American non-governmental organization to arrive in war-torn Mogadishu following the overthrow of then President Siad Barre.
The current outbreak is being attributed to the severely contaminated drinking water. The city was devastated by the recent floods when nearly 80% of residents were displaced. Delivery of critically needed medical supplies has been hampered since the Beletweyne airstrip was damaged during the floods. The fighting between the interim Transitional Federal Government and the Islamic Courts Union further destabilized the lives of many Somalis.
International Medical Corps asks all partners involved to make the Beletweyne airstrip accessible for urgently needed humanitarian assistance.