BANGLADESH - CYCLONE SIDR
Assessments and Events
- Recent assessments show that the humanitarian crisis caused by Cyclone Sidr may be worse than previously believed. The total number of people affected by the cyclone is around 8.5 million, or 1.5 million more than initially thought. OCHA reports that about 2.6 million people across nine districts need emergency assistance.
- As of 30 November, 3274 people were reported dead and 12 979 injured. Some 690 medical teams set up by the Government are providing emergency care in the affected areas.
- No disease outbreaks have been reported so far, but typhoid fever and skin infections are seemingly on the rise. Lack of safe drinking water, poor sanitation, inadequate shelter and shortage of warm clothes could raise the trend for diarrhoeal and respiratory infections. Other essential issues include reproductive and psychosocial needs, the provision of essential drugs and medical equipment and the reconstruction of damaged health facilities.
Actions
- WHO deployed six coordinators and a consultant to facilitate district level health coordination, assist the district and Upazila health officials in collecting public health information to build up disease surveillance and to enhance health promotion activities. WHO sent out two inter-agency health kits.
- District Health Cluster meetings recommended strengthening the early warning system for potential disease outbreaks and providing health education and psychosocial support to high risk populations.
- As the head of the Health Cluster, WHO prepared a six-month plan outlining proposed interventions to reduce avoidable mortality and morbidity by addressing the main risk factors in the 21 affected districts. The plan requires an estimated US$ 4.3 million, of which 2.5 million are already available. US$ 1.46 million were granted by the CERF for coordination, prevention and control of waterborne diseases outbreaks, provision of emergency drugs and the replenishment of the buffer stock of essential drugs and US$ 1.1 million by the Japanese Government.
- WHO also received water and sanitation equipment from Norway and three diarrhoeal diseases kits from Italy. WHO requests further donor's assistance for the remaining unmet needs.