The Sanaag region was hit first, but the disease quickly spread to neighbouring areas.

More than 2,000 cases of acute diarrhoea have been reported across Puntland, and health workers fear that this may trigger a cholera epidemic if it is not brought under control.

Internally Displaced

Those most vulnerable to the disease include children under five, pregnant women and internally displaced people living in crowded camps with no access to sanitation.

There are around 70,000 internally displaced people in Puntland living in congested settlements. Most fled their homes over the past 15 years to escape the unrelenting violence that has plagued Somalia since 1991.

Most settlements have inadequate sanitation facilities and people are forced to drink contaminated water. Settlements in Galkayo have been hit particularly hard by the outbreak.

Islamic Relief’s Action

Islamic Relief has allocated €10,000 for an emergency intervention in the Mudug region of Puntland State.

IR aid workers are preparing quick-impact emergency projects including:

• Distribution of chlorine donated by UNICEF;

  Training sessions for young people on how to chlorinate water;

• Training community groups who chlorinate water supplies, house-by-house;

• Treating serious cases of diarrhoea;

• Training young people to publicise health and hygiene awareness messages;

• Public health and hygiene awareness campaigns through local media and loud-speaker equipped vehicles;

• Preparing for a possible outbreak of cholera.