Summary: CHF 92,995 was allocated from the IFRC’s Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) on 22 July, 2011 to support Nigerian Red Cross Society (NRCS) in delivering assistance to some 10,000 beneficiaries affected by cholera in Bauchi and Plateau state.

This operation lasted for two months, during which time community assessments were carried out by NRCS volunteers to determine the risk factors and to recognize the gaps not covered by other stakeholders in cholera control in the selected communities.

About 150 NRCS volunteers were trained and continue to carry out activities on health preventive measures on cholera and diarrhoea in their communities.

These trained volunteers in Bauchi and Plateau states have reached about 13,800 households with health messages on cholera and its prevention, including the preparation of ORS and the importance of hand washing, personal hygiene, environmental sanitation and household water treatment in breaking the chain of cholera transmission. Cholera related non-food items (NFIs) have been distributed to 10,000 identified vulnerable households. Radio jingles were broadcast in local dialect on the importance of safe water, hygiene and sanitation during this period.

Environmental sanitation activities, including clean up of communities, market places and abattoirs were carried out by the volunteers and community members. Hand washing demonstrations were also carried out in schools and household water treatment demonstrations were provided to women by community volunteers.

Advocacy visits/meetings were made with traditional and religious leaders as well as with school heads, which resulted in increased support of Red Cross work in the communities. For example, the local government chairman of Dass, Bauchi state provided financial support to volunteers working in the Cholera Treatment Unit located in Dass General Hospital and promised them his support at all times.

An evaluation carried out at the end of the first phase of the DREF implementation showed no new case reported in week 35 in any of the targeted communities and positive behavioural change (including water treatment, hand washing) among the target population was recorded.

The NRCS and IFRC express their appreciation to DG-ECHO and the Canadian Red Cross/Government for their contributions to the replenishment of this DREF allocation. The major donors and partners of DREF include the Red Cross Societies and governments of Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the U.S.A., as well as DG-ECHO, the U.K. Department for International Development (DFID), the Medtronic and Z Zurich Foundations and other corporate and private donors. The IFRC, on behalf of the National Society, thanks all for their generous contributions.