Since the end of December 2015, Malawi has experienced an outbreak of cholera with 600 confirmed cases and 16 deaths.
The district of Zomba has been experiencing drought as has the rest of southern Malawi. The lack of rainfall has led to a shortage of safe water sources for people living in the district. It has forced them to drink contaminated water which has, in turn, lead to 85 cases of cholera in the district since January. The largest source of cholera is Lake Chilwa, which fishermen have been drinking. The lack of rain has made the bacteria level in the lake raise dramatically.
Cholera patients are treated at a health clinic, where the Malawi Red Cross Society has assisted local health authorities in managing the response. Across the country, 800 Red Cross volunteers are assisting at cholera clinics.
In relation to the drought, the IFRC, in September 2015, launched an Emergency Appeal of 768,264 Swiss francs to support 10,000 people. Three million people are currently affected by the drought, with numbers expected to rise in large part due to the El Nino weather event.
TIMECODE:
00:00: MS of Cholera clinic
00:06: WS of Cholera clinic
00:17: MS of women walking
00:28: MS Volunteer washing hands
00:38: MS Volunteers spraying shoes
00:53: CU Cholera patient
01:00: MS Cholera patient and health worker
01:18: MS Cholera patient and health worker
01:38: MS volunteers walking in clinic
02:08: MS Volunteers in clinic entrance
02:21: MS Woman at lake sorting out fish
02:31:WS: lake Chilwa
03:09: ENDS