The Round-up offers a weekly sample of what our Sister Red Cross Societies are working on around the world.
CHAD: Since March 18, the southern part of Chad has been the scene of a meningococcal meningitis outbreak, a bacterial form of meningitis that infects the brain and spinal cord, affecting half the districts in Chad at an alarming rate. This epidemic is accompanied by cases of measles which have appeared in almost the same region. To date, approximately 2,337 cases have been detected and 109 deaths recorded. Local Red Cross branches will raise awareness about the danger of epidemics and the importance of preventive measures such as hygiene. They will also be referring each suspected case to the nearest health centre and continue to monitor developments in surrounding areas not yet affected.
JAPAN: To date, more than 484 Red Cross medical teams, involving about 3,000 doctors, nurses and support staff, have been deployed to the areas affected by last month’s earthquake and tsunami. They have been assessing the needs of the survivors and providing basic healthcare services to evacuees, as well as psychosocial support.
LIBERIA: Sawien, a village about 7 kilometres from the border with Côte d’Ivoire, has seen the arrival of hundreds of people, all fleeing the fighting in their country, running for their lives. This community does not have any water and many people are ill. The Red Cross, through its door-to-door activities, is trying to register people who are sick, alerting the local health authorities if necessary.
GLOSSARY:
ICRC = International Committee of the Red Cross
IFRC = International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies