Thousands of displaced people in the war ravaged Liberian capital Monrovia were on Sunday still crammed in schools, public buildings and camps amid abysmal conditions with fears of a cholera epidemic.
An uneasy calm prevailed in the capital of the west African state following the signing of a truce between President Charles Taylor’s government and rebels.
Thousands were packed into two medium-sized schools in central Monrovia — where people from around the city and its outskirts have flooded in since fighting escalated at the start of this month.
”There are only two pit latrines for the more than 10 000 IDPs (internally displaced people) here,” said Benedict Gray, the chairperson for the displaced people housed in one of the schools.
”Unless additional toilet facilities are provided by non-governmental organisations (NGO), the sanitation problem will soon get out of hand. Besides, safe water is in short supply,” Gray said.
The Liberian health ministry recently issued a statement giving chilling details about cholera and diarrhoea cases at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports stadium in Monrovia, which currently hosts more than 20 000 displaced persons.
There are only 16 functioning toilets in the stadium.
Health Minister Peter Coleman said there were on an average about 58 cases of cholera reported from the stadium last week and four confirmed deaths.
”More than 50 cases of malnutrition have so far been identified, and thank God, the French medical NGO Action Contre la Faim (Action Against Hunger) is trying to treat these cases,” Gray said.
Taylor did an about turn on Friday, saying he would not step down for a unity caretaker government in line with Tuesday’s truce to end a devastating four year war.
Taylor, a leading player in a seven year rebel war which ended with his election in 1997, appears to be defying calls by west African mediators and the United States to step down and end one of Africa’s worst civil wars.
Tens of thousands are living rough in Monrovia, which was besieged by rebels until the signing of the fragile ceasefire, amid an acute scarcity of food, medicines and potable water.
Nyan Zikeh of the British charity Save the Children, said congestion and lack of sanitation were responsible for frequent outbreaks of diarrhoea, malaria and cholera at the camps for displaced people.
He said Save the Children was carrying out immunisation and other measures at the camp to prevent the situation from getting worse. – Sapa-AFP