Press Release: DWB Intervenes to Halt Cholera Outbreak in Ekondo Titi and Bakassi
Ekondo Titi and Bakassi Health Districts (Southwest Region of Cameroon) are facing increasing numbers of people affected.
“The Ekondo Titi Health District has reported over 160 cases of cholera, with 62 patients hospitalized at
the Cholera Treatment Unit, 15 patients treated at the Oral Rehydration points and 5 deaths recorded.
The Bakassi Health district has also reported 29 suspected cases with three deaths from October 27 to
November 29. The condition is particularly worrying, because it means that cholera has spread in the
community,” says Donatien Tshishimbi, Doctors Without Borders Medical Coordinator.
In addition, access to health care is difficult in these communities, affected by conflict, and with precarious health facilities. Compounded with poor living conditions, the vulnerability of this population to infectious diseases like cholera increases.
Doctors Without Borders teams have investigated the cholera epidemic, assessed, and reinforced case
management with a referral system for mild, moderate, and severe cases, and conducted networking
and advocacy with community leaders and local authorities.
To prevent this latest epidemic from getting out of control, Doctors Without Borders is now providing support to the Ekondo Titi and Bakassi Health
Districts with case management, referrals, health promotion and surveillance.
Cholera is caused by a water-borne bacterial infection, and is transmitted through contaminated food or
water, or through contact with fecal matter or vomit from infected people. With Cholera, a patient can
lose up to 25 liters of fluid per day. Cholera can cause severe diarrhea and vomiting, and rapidly prove
fatal, within hours, if not treated. But cholera is very simple to treat – most patients respond well to oral
rehydration salts, which are easy to administer. In response, Doctors Without Borders will use the
Decentralized Model of Care to spread treatment to the health district by having community leaders
choose members of the community who can manage the Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS) points and refer
critically ill patients to the health facilities.
Access to health care centers poses a huge problem in these areas, as most health centers are only
reachable by boat. Therefore, Doctors Without Borders is putting together two cholera treatment
centers, one in Bamusso and another in Barack. Treatment will be free, and meals and transportation
will be provided for all patients referred to these Cholera treatment units (CTU).
Doctors Without Borders teams of health promoters, water and sanitation experts, medical staff and
epidemiologists are working to prevent the outbreak from spreading. In 2019, Doctors Without Borders
responded to Cholera in the South West Region in Cameroon, precisely in Bakassi where 39,000 people
were vaccinated, and 230 people treated at the cholera treatment center.
Doctors Without Borders has been present in Cameroon since 1984. Today, the NGO conducts
humanitarian medical projects in the Far North and South West regions of the country. The organization
is also continuing discussions with the authorities to resume activities in the northwest, after
withdrawing its teams following a suspension decided by the authorities in December 2020. In the Far
North, where MSF has been working since 2012, our teams support the Cameroonian health system to
facilitate access to medical services, providing care such as surgical, psychological, obstetric and
maternal care. MSF works in each of these regions according to the health needs assessment of the
community. All care provided by Doctors Without Borders is free of charge and carried out in
accordance with medical ethics. In addition, the teams are continuing awareness-raising sessions on
safety measures against the Covid-19 pandemic among populations on temporary sites in order to limit
the risk of spreading the disease.
Email: msfe-cameroon-comofficer@barcelona.msf.org
Mobile: +237 673528979
