Afghan Health Ministry Confirms Spread of Cholera in Some Areas

Text of report by Afghan independent Tolo TV, on 13 October

[Presenter] Public Health Ministry has confirmed the spread of a mild form of cholera in some parts of the country.

A spokesman for the Public Health Ministry told a joint news conference with the person in charge of technical affairs at the World Health Organization today that three types of the disease have spread in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, and India. He said the bug which has caused the disease in Afghanistan causes a lower mortality rate than other types.

My colleague Shakila Ebrahim Khel reports:.

[Correspondent] The Public Health Ministry and the World Health Organization say the main cause of the disease in Afghanistan is the lack of healthy drinking water and the fact that health precautions have not been observed.

According to the organizations, poverty, drought, and hot weather have led to diarrhoea in the country.

The Public Health Ministry says a type of cholera has spread in five provinces, including Nangarhar, Nurestan, Laghman, Samangan and Fariab.

[Dr Abdollah Fahim, spokesman, Public Health Ministry] We are concerned because this type of cholera has been detected among [families] deported in Nimroz, Samangan, and in our eastern borders with Pakistan. Among the many cases of diarrhoea that we have had, we have seen limited cases of eltor cholera. We are therefore concerned that we may see the further spread of the disease if the [public awareness] messages that we have do not reach the people the way they should do and if the sector departments do not offer sufficient cooperation in this process.

[Correspondent] The Public Health Ministry says the ministry has managed to control the disease in some of the [abovementioned] provinces, but the ministry has not been able to prevent the spread of the disease due to unrest in Mandol area of Nurestan and due to lack of drinkable water in Aybak city of Samangan Province.

The World Health Organization, on the other hand, says cholera is a dangerous disease. The organization says cholera spreads easily, but can be controlled easily too.

[Rana Graber Kakar, WHO technical officer] It is a dangerous disease and has spread in some provinces. It spreads easily, but can be treated easily too. The people should keep away from the disease and should not wait for the government to help them.

[Correspondent] In order to avoid being affected by diarrhoea and cholera, the ministry of public health urges the people to always use clean water and avoid drinking water in ditches, river, dams and well unless it has been cleared with chlorine. It also advises people to avoid stale food and food cooked [in shops] on the roads.

Originally published by Tolo TV, Kabul, in Dari 1330 13 Oct 08.

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