Cholera outbreaks occur almost every year during the monsoon season in Nepal. The 1.3 million people living in the Kathmandu Valley are some of the most affected and vulnerable in the country. The earthquakes in 2015 caused massive population displacement and increased the potential for an outbreak as a result of the widespread destruction of water supply infrastructure and sanitation facilities. A major outbreak was averted by the humanitarian WASH interventions immediately post-quake (Kansakar et al, 2017).

In anticipation of a cholera outbreak in 2016, UNICEF conducted an intensive cholera response and prevention programme in Kathmandu valley in coordination between WASH, Health and Education sectors jointly with the local government. This year no deaths were reported. In 2017, a five-year National Prevention and Preparedness Plan for Acute Gastroenteritis (AGE) and cholera was developed in coordination with local government and endorsed by the national Government. As a result, only 3 cases of cholera were reported in Kathmandu Valley.

In 2018, the cholera prevention and preparedness programme was refined, based on experiences and learnings of 2015 -2017, and scaled up to enhance the capacities of the seven most vulnerable municipalities in the Valley. Two cholera cases were detected in the Kathmandu Valley that year.

This Field Note presents the cholera prevention and preparedness programmes implemented by UNICEF in collaboration with local government and partner organizations between 2015-2018. [Body copy]

Bibliographic information

Kansakar, L. K., Shrestha, A. M., Ashorn, M., Babu, S., Ahmad, T. (2021). Evolution of the Kathmandu Valley Cholera Prevention and Preparedness Programme UNICEF

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