A race against time in Niger: Setting up a cholera treatment centre in a matter of days
In 2018, an outbreak of cholera hit four regions in Niger, where nearly 4000 cases were reported. In order to contain the epidemic and limit the number of deaths, the EU provided humanitarian aid that went to various organisations on the ground to support the provision of free medical treatment and awareness-raising campaigns on how to prevent the spread of the disease in the community.
Cholera is a life-threatening disease caused by a type of bacteria that lives in water and in faeces. The disease can be contracted easily by drinking contaminated water or by person-to-person contact through poor hygiene. Cholera causes rapid dehydration and can be fatal within a few hours; however, if treated immediately, a cholera patient can recover in three to five days.
This cholera treatment centre was set up in a matter of days by the medical non-governmental organisation (NGO) ALIMA in Maradi, one of the affected regions in Niger. The centre operated for four months, until the end of the epidemic in November 2018.
Text by ALIMA.