UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, has donated 1,000 testing kits, administered over 900,000 oral cholera vaccines and provided refrigerators and solar panels to ensure continuous access to electricity in support of the Ministry of Public Health’s efforts to combat the cholera outbreak. The disease has so far claimed 23 lives and infected over 6,000 persons since the outbreak began in Lebanon in October 2022, amid an increasingly dire socio-economic situation in the country.
The Ministry of Public Health and outbreak control teams comprised of staff from UNHCR partner organizations have been working around the clock to ensure early detection, respond to alerts, treat cases, immunize people of all nationalities, and stamp-out the disease in high-risk areas. Across Lebanon, 61% of the recipients of the vaccine are Lebanese, 35% are Syrian, and overall 53% are women and 48% are children.
“We are fully appreciative of the positive role UNHCR played in fighting the cholera outbreak in Lebanon. Their active participation in the National Cholera Task Force, and their support to treatment facilities, awareness campaigns, and vaccine deployment in targeted areas, were key in the successful execution of the efforts to control the outbreak,” says H.E. Minister of Public Health, Dr. Firas Abiad.
UNHCR and partner’s intervention in supporting the vaccination campaign allowed for the rapid launch of the national vaccination campaign. Under the leadership of the Ministry of Public Health, UNHCR and its partners have mobilized over 250 vaccination teams who are carrying out door-to-door vaccinations, community engagement and awareness-raising activities; distributing cholera education materials to raise awareness and encourage vaccination; and providing other logistical support.
“This is about saving lives. With the support of our partners, we were able to deliver vaccinations to the most vulnerable, which helped contain the cholera outbreak and safeguard entire communities in the most difficult-to-reach places,” says Dr. Zinia Sultana, UNHCR Senior Public Health Officer.
As part of its cholera response, UNHCR has transformed medical facilities it had originally set-up in 2020 to combat COVID-19, into Cholera Treatment Centres in both the Halba and Tripoli government hospitals. This has helped hospitals to immediately meet the needs of cholera patients. UNHCR also provided medicines and other medical supplies to the government hospital in Halba. UNHCR also supports refugee cholera patients to get the required treatment.
A key component of the larger effort to stop the outbreak in Lebanon is promoting good hygiene. UNHCR community volunteers have been distributing hygiene kits across Lebanon, and assisting in the disinfection of homes and latrines across communities. UNHCR is also helping vulnerable communities by rehabilitating sewage and water infrastructure to ensure sustained access to clean water and better waste management systems.
UNHCR’s cholera response strategy is centered on ensuring case management for cholera cases, improving readiness and prevention at all levels, and raising awareness among national, municipal, and community actors. This is done in close collaboration with all stakeholders including the Ministry of Public Health, UN agencies, and NGOs to enhance preparedness and capacity to respond to any future outbreaks.
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