Madagascar, Malawi and Mozambique, Cyclone Freddy destroyed infrastructure exposing populations to health risks

ROME – More than 300 health facilities have been destroyed or rendered unusable by flooding in Madagascar, Malawi and Mozambique following the devastation of Cyclone Freddy, which left local communities without adequate access to health services.

The epidemics. The effects of its passage worsen an already very critical situation in the most affected countries due to epidemics of infectious diseases, some of which would be preventable with a widespread distribution of vaccines. In Mozambique, cases of cholera have more than doubled in the last week, going from 1023 to 2374 registered on 20 March. In Malawi, however, cases are decreasing: 1424 people were sick on March 20 compared to 1956 the previous week. The fear of non-governmental organizations operating on the spot is that the passage of the cyclone and the consequent destruction of many infrastructures could reverse Malawi’s course in the fight against cholera.

The World Health Organization (WHO). The priority of interventions in the three most affected countries is to ensure that local communities receive health care to address the most immediate, basic needs and to limit the spread of diseases transmitted through contaminated water, explains Matshidiso Moeti , WHO Regional Director for Africa, during a press conference.

The damages. Torrential rains and floods have affected more than 1.4 million people in the three countries and stretched the capacity of health facilities to the limit. Homes, schools, roads and other infrastructure have been destroyed or damaged as well as large agricultural areas have been flooded.

Aid. WHO has allocated $7.9 million and has deployed more than 60 experts in affected countries to respond to both the climate emergency and the spread of diseases. In Malawi, WHO has established a series of operational structures in districts, even the most remote ones, to address the cholera epidemic directly in the hottest areas. It has also trained over 1,500 health workers in Malawi, Mozambique and Madagascar to control the disease, assist patients and raise awareness of the risks they run if they do not take the necessary precautions.

The solutions. While cholera is easily treatable and most people can be treated through the administration of oral rehydration solutions or intravenous fluids, ending the disease instead requires long-term plans and investments aimed at improving access to drinking water and basic sanitation.

Cholera in Africa. Currently the disease is widespread in 14 African countries where, among other things, the climatic conditions are exacerbated by extreme conditions: drought and floods. In fact, the climate is making territories and people more vulnerable and often forces them to leave their homes to move to places where temperatures are more favorable, but where they often live in precarious hygienic conditions. “As climate-related health emergencies increase in Africa, it is clear that more needs to be done to prepare people to face climate risks. Only then can communities cope with the impacts of devastating natural disasters,” concludes Dr. Moeti.