Epidémie de choléra au Zimbabwe : Action d'urgence dans le district de Chipinge - International - Press release - Press - Médecins du Monde
Communiqué de presse
Epidémie de choléra au Zimbabwe : Action d'urgence dans le district de Chipinge
Cholera epidemic in Zimbabwe:
Urgent action in the district of Chipinge
Faced with the cholera epidemic, which has already probably killed nearly 1 200 people , Medecins du Monde has strengthened its team on the field with the arrival in Chipinge of a crisis unit. The association is responsible for the medical coordination in all Chipinge district, which has 300 000 inhabitants.
Working in Zimbabwe since 2004 with a HIV/AIDS programme, Medecins du Monde set up an emergency mission in the district of Chipinge on December 5. MdM has sent a crisis unit and medical equipment. Medecins du Monde’s teams distribute cholera kits in the 47 clinics of the district. “As some patients were on the floor, we had beds made in Harare to provide clinics with beds reserved for cholera patients” says Julie Beis, coordinator of the crisis unit.
MdM also assures the supervision of clinical procedures, protocols, rules of hygiene and asepsis, as well as chlorination procedures in the clinics. "We advise healthcare staff in the clinics and ensure the supply of medicines and equipment in close collaboration with the Ministry of Health for the district" she adds.
"At the same time we develop prevention activities; we raise the community’s awareness on cholera and hygiene and prevention rules through the existing community network of the HIV programme," says Dr Francoise Sivignon, head of the crisis unit.
For further information, you can find more field pictures as well as an interview with Dr. Françoise Sivignon, Volunteer Project Head (Responsable de mission), who is now back from Zimbabwe, in Medecins du Monde France ’s website: http://www.medecinsdumonde.org/fr/nos_missions/etranger/zimbabwe
Pictures of helth care programm
Picture Dirk Jan Pot/MDM et Pascal Simon / MDM
|
|
|
|
an interview with Dr. Françoise Sivignon, Volunteer Project Head (in french)
Press contact :
Annabelle Quénet / Florence Priolet
01 44 92 14 32 / 14 31 - 06 09 17 35 59
infomdm@medecinsdumonde.net
www.medecinsdumonde.org