Daru,Gulf relief efforts on

THE National Department of Health has dispatched supplies of oral rehydration salt (ORS) treatment and intravenous (IV) fluids to support the containment of a cholera outbreak in Daru, Western, as well as parts of Gulf where outbreak was reported recently.
It was reported that a total of 990 cholera cases were reported at hospitals in Daru since the outbreak.
A total of 180 people were admitted to Daru hospital alone with 32 deaths having been reported.
Health secretary Dr Clement Malau, the department’s executive manager for public health Enoch Posanau and national surveillance officer and coordinator for the response team Barry Ropa announced at a press conference yesterday that the situation in Daru was being maintained while announcing that a medical team had been sent out to assess the situation and update health authorities before any further assistance would proceed.
Malau said that the department with the help of Western provincial authorities including churches and private sector organisations were carrying out further surveillance along Fly River, North Fly and South Fly districts including the Kiwai area to assess the situation.
 “We have responded as well as we could on the outbreak in Daru and have done what we can to try to contain epidemic,” Malau said.
“The department has had initial training with health officers in the province last year on to prepare them on how to response to the epidemic and had committed in advance a total of K50,000.”
In response to the current outbreak in the province, a total of K500,000 has been committed to begin surveillance and reporting exercise while Gulf has received assistance totalling K22,000 for cholera relief efforts.