Summary: CHF 42,600 was allocated from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies’ (IFRC) Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) on 1 July 2011 to support the Maldivian Red Crescent (MRC) in the conduct of risk communication/disease prevention and vector control activities in 190 island communities in support of the national response to the dengue outbreak.

MAA52001
23 December 2011
This report covers the period 1 July 2011 to 31 December 2011.

In brief

This report covers the period 1 January to 30 June 2011.

Programme purpose:

To support the development and delivery of relevant community-based programmes and services by the new Maldivian Red Crescent (MRC) national society which aims to save lives, reduce and limit the most urgent underlying causes of vulnerability; promote healthy and safe living; and mobilize volunteers, in a new national society supported to build its capacity to function effectively and fulfil its mandate.

Programme summary:

Period covered by this update: 2 July to 31 July 2011

Summary: CHF 42,600 (USD 50,318 or EUR 34,686) was allocated from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies’ (IFRC) Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) on 1 July 2011 to support the National Society in delivering assistance to some 190 island community beneficiaries, or to replenish disaster preparedness stocks.

By Neil Merrett

The Ministry of Health is expected to once again take the reins of the national response to a dengue fever outbreak linked to the deaths of eight Maldivians this year, after last week handing control of the focus to a task force appointed to bring island management of the disease under a single body.

A representative for a government-appointed taskforce working to coordinate responses to a national dengue fever outbreak has claimed provisional data has indicated a slight increase in infections over the last 24 hours – days after cases appeared to be declining.

The Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) has been drafted in to help with efforts to try and control an outbreak of dengue fever that the government has described as “an epidemic”.

President Mohamed Nasheed yesterday announced that he had requested the assistance of defense forces in collecting information about the virus from island and atoll health councils after four deaths linked to the affliction were recorded in the space of two days.