Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has issued a warning on a looming cholera at the Dadaab Refugee Camp, calling for quick action to stop the imminent health catastrophe. According MSF, 2,786 people in the camp are at risk of cholera and other gastrointestinal illnesses. In particular, MSF has called on regional governments, donors and aid agencies tourgently address the poor sanitary conditions and overcrowding in the refugee camps.
According to data, more than 300,000 refugees, mostly from neighbouring Somalia, live in the three refugee camps that make up the Dadaab Complex. Aid agencies have noted that due to the ongoing drought in the Horn of Africa, the population has grown significantly, worsening with overcrowding and putting further strain on already-strapped resources that are available, especially the supply of clean water and sanitary facilities.
MSF country director for Kenya, Hassan Maiyaki, said that the severity of the situation calls for immediate action, particularly in the areas of water, sanitation, and hygiene. He emphasized that the danger of additional outbreaks is concerning as this has been the worst cholera outbreak in the past five years. The agency also noted that if nothing is done, the camps’ medical capacity will be overwhelmed, which might have disastrous effects.
The outbreak is attributed to a reduction in essential water and sanitation operations in the camps. The majority of refugees at the camps do not currently have access to working toilets, worsening hygiene within the camp.
Althought the Kenyan Ministry of Health and humanitarian agencies have carried out cholera vaccination and health promotion campaigns to help individuals protect themselves from the disease, health infrastructure and sanitation are critical.
“Despite our health promotion activities and vaccination campaigns, control of this cholera outbreak remains elusive. without prioritizing resources for sustainable preventive interventions, it is only a matter of time before other epidemics, such as hepatitis E, break out in camps,” said Dr Nitya Udayraj, MSF health coordinator in Kenya.
In response, the Kenyan government announced plans to reopen a fourth camp, to accommodate new arrivals. MSF calls for the immediate implementation of these plans and advocates for increased funding for water and sanitation at the four camps.
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