UNICEF delivered lifesaving health and water, hygiene, and sanitation supplies to Syria earlier this week to scale up efforts to halt the cholera outbreak.

The supplies included acute watery diarrhoea (AWD) kits to support health facilities and communities in treating 36,000 moderate and severe AWD cases; and aqua tabs to help 350,000 people to treat water for their households’ needs.

“Every day counts. Our teams are working tirelessly, with partners, to scale up the response,” said UNICEF Syria Representative, Bo Viktor Nylund. “Our ongoing efforts focus on replenishing and distributing lifesaving health and water, hygiene and sanitation supplies; providing access to safe and clean water; and engaging communities and sharing information to increase awareness on how to keep children and their families safe,” he added.

The reported acute watery diarrhoea cases have now surpassed 20,000 and cases have been detected in all governorates. As the outbreak spreads, it also threatens the health and wellbeing of children.

Since the outbreak was declared on 10 September, UNICEF has distributed 60 AWD kits in the most affected governorates to support the treatment at health facility and community level. During the past two weeks, 408 tons of sodium hypochlorite have been distributed to increase chlorine dosages and concentration to prevent and curb the spread of the disease, particularly in fragile and highly vulnerable communities, providing 10 million people nationwide access to safe and clean water.

Source: UN Children’s Fund