28 February 2014 - To reduce the risk of cholera outbreaks in UNMISS bases, the World Health Organization (WHO) is giving vaccines to all displaced people the mission is harbouring.

The campaign, which began yesterday, followed a “cholera assessment” WHO carried out, which found sanitation, hygiene, and nutrition in the overcrowded bases “very poor”, according to WHO Medical Officer Dr. Abdinasir Abubakar.

“All those factors contribute to the risk of a potential communicable disease outbreak,” the doctor said. “In order to avoid a full-blown cholera outbreak in the camps … we decided to implement this cholera prevention.”

Some 70% of internally displaced persons (IDPs) would be protected from cholera after taking the oral vaccine, he said, which would be administered to everyone over the age of one.

The campaign was expected to take five days to complete in Tomping and then would move to UN House, Dr. Abubakar said. “The total number we expect (to vaccinate) in Tomping and Juba 3 (UN House) is 43,000 IDPS.”

Humanitarian staff working in the camps would also be eligible for the cholera vaccinations, he said.

After Juba, the campaign would move on to Malakal, Upper Nile State, Bor in Jonglei and Bentiu in Unity.