First global pledge to end cholera, 'disease of Poor' by 2030 to be sworn in France

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Meeshika Sharma
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Health officials from around the world are meeting in France to commit to preventing 90% of cholera deaths by 2030.

It is the first time governments, the World Health Organization, aid agencies and donors have made such a pledge.It comes as Yemen continues to fight one of the worst cholera outbreaks on record.

Cholera is an acute diarrhoeal infection caused by ingestion of food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholera, can spread quickly and widely in cramped, dirty conditions.

Dr Dominique Legros, who heads up the WHO's cholera programme said,  "We can't keep seeing these huge outbreaks every year.We have the tools at hand to prevent them, so let's use them.If you provide water and sanitation, it's enough to stop the transmission of cholera. We've seen that today in countries like Senegal, where we have been able to stop transmission."

Estimated global annual cholera cases:

  • India: 675,188 cases, 20,266 deaths
  • Ethiopia: 275.221 cases, 10,458 deaths
  • Nigeria: 220,397 cases, 8,375 deaths
  • Haiti: 210,589 cases, 2,584 deaths
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