Neelam Rahim – neelam@radioislam.co.za

4 minute read
September 15 2022
16:20 pm

The official declaration of a cholera outbreak in the Aleppo region of Syria at the weekend represents a severe threat to the people in Syria, including the whole Middle East region, as per the UN.

Radio Islam International is joined in discussion with Andy Vermont, a journalist based in Belgium who has a keen eye on the Middle East’s happenings.

According to Vermont, the World Council Republic for Diplomacy and Community Dialogue has expressed serious concerns over the ongoing cholera outbreak in Syria.

He said the Syrian Minister announced the cholera pandemic in the Aleppo region on September 10 in response to 15 confirmed laboratory cases, including one fatality. In the interim, seven others have died.

“Between August 25 and September 10, 936 cases of severe cholera including at least 8 fatalities were documented in Syria.”

Based on the preliminary evolution undertaken by health officials and various partners. Vermont said it is assumed that the cause of illness is connected to individuals drinking contaminated water from the Euphrates River. Also, using this polluted water to irrigate fields results in food contamination.

Vermont tells Radio Islam that the outbreak is also a sign of insufficient clean water in the Middle Eastern country.

“With the drop-like conditions of the Euphrates River, a lot of damage to the country’s water infrastructure resulting from years of civil war, many of Syria’s already vulnerable people have to rely on unsafe water sources.”

He said cholera is a health threat to the whole world but is a clear sign of unfairness and unequal society.

According to Vermont, the world does not take the happenings surrounding this region severe enough.

He stated that the World Health Organisation ought to take this situation seriously as the outbreak has already claimed the lives of 8 and is spreading through the entire country.

“This can lead to many casualties, and these people have already had to suffer so much of the civil war in Syria.”

Listen below to the interview with Moulana Sulaimaan Ravat and Andy Vermont on Radio Islam’s podcast.