Health ministry allocates funds to address cholera outbreak in Sulaimani
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) health ministry on Monday allocated 800 million Iraqi dinars to Sulaimani amid a surge in diarrheal cases and reports of cholera infections.
Health minister Saman Barzinji held a meeting with health officials in Sulaimani a day after the city was directed to announce a state of emergency amid a surge in cholera cases.
On Sunday, Iraq’s health ministry confirmed 10 cholera cases in Sulaimani, one in Kirkuk and two in al-Muthanna province, while scores of others are suspected to be infected. Erbil also reported at least four cases later in the day.
Sulaimani’s health department said 4 thousand people in Sulaimani were hospitalized over the past week due to uncontrolled diarrhea and vomiting.
Barzinji said there have been deaths among the cases but did not disclose an exact toll.
The suspected cases are sent to a central laboratory in Baghdad for analysis, which is the only facility able to provide the diagnosis.
The health minister said only 10 percent of the diarrheal cases are sent to the Iraqi capital for diagnosis.
The Kurdistan Region recorded a large-scale outbreak of cholera in 2007, 2008, and 2012, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Cholera is an acute diarrheal infection caused by eating or drinking food or water that is contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholera, says WHO.
In 2007, dirty water led to an outbreak of the infection in Iraq, reportedly infecting 7,000 people and killing 10.
Health minister Saman Barzinji held a meeting with health officials in Sulaimani a day after the city was directed to announce a state of emergency amid a surge in cholera cases.
On Sunday, Iraq’s health ministry confirmed 10 cholera cases in Sulaimani, one in Kirkuk and two in al-Muthanna province, while scores of others are suspected to be infected. Erbil also reported at least four cases later in the day.
Sulaimani’s health department said 4 thousand people in Sulaimani were hospitalized over the past week due to uncontrolled diarrhea and vomiting.
Barzinji said there have been deaths among the cases but did not disclose an exact toll.
The suspected cases are sent to a central laboratory in Baghdad for analysis, which is the only facility able to provide the diagnosis.
The health minister said only 10 percent of the diarrheal cases are sent to the Iraqi capital for diagnosis.
The Kurdistan Region recorded a large-scale outbreak of cholera in 2007, 2008, and 2012, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Cholera is an acute diarrheal infection caused by eating or drinking food or water that is contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholera, says WHO.
In 2007, dirty water led to an outbreak of the infection in Iraq, reportedly infecting 7,000 people and killing 10.