Summary:
CHF 201,952 has been allocated from the IFRC’s Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) to support the National Society in delivering immediate assistance to up to 20,000 people (approximately 4,000 households). Unearmarked funds to repay DREF are encouraged.
A cholera outbreak was reported in the municipality of Sô-Ava in the department of Atlantique in the south of Benin, with 129 confirmed cases as of 2 October 2013. Samples of suspected cases were sent to the departmental and national laboratories, and after confirmation of cholera, the government of Benin declared an epidemic at the health zone level. The number of cases could be higher, as it is expected that not all cases are referred to official facilities and registered.
In its role as auxiliary to the government of Benin, the Benin Red Cross Society (BRCS) mobilized its volunteers at branch level to support the health authorities in increasing cholera awareness at community level at an early stage to prevent further spread of the epidemic. BRCS will mobilize up to 100 volunteers to provide assistance through health as well as water and sanitation activities including early detection, treatment and referral of new cholera cases, health and hygiene promotion messages as well as the distribution of water purification tablets and sanitation activities in targeted schools and health centres in affected and high-risk areas.
This operation is expected to be implemented over 3 months, and will therefore be completed by the end of January 2014. A final report will be made available three months after the end of the operation, by 30 April 2014.
