Dar es Salaam, 11 February 2016- Crowded areas such as fishing camps, refugee camps, prisons, military and police barracks and schools are vulnerable to outbreaks of communicable diseases like cholera. The government of Tanzania continues to battle the on-going wide spread cholera outbreak which has up-to-date affected 23 out of the 25 Regions in the country.

On the 26th January 2016, WHO was informed of cholera cases from Segerea prison in Ilala Municipality in Dar es Salaam Region. Thirty (30) cases and 1 death have been reported from the prison since the beginning of the outbreak. Rapid assessment of the water and sanitation status in the prison revealed limited water collection points and hand washing points.

Safe water, personal hygiene and sanitation (WASH) are crucial for quick control of cholera outbreak. Key WASH interventions include: Ensuring easy access to safe water for drinking and hand washing; use of latrines and safe solid waste disposal.

To contribute to containment of the outbreak in the prison, WHO supported procurement of 4 water tanks of 5,000 litres each which were handed over to the Segerea prison management by WHO staff on behalf of the World Health Organization Representative, Dr. Rufaro Chatora.

Handing over of the tanks was witnessed by the Commanding Chief Officer of the Prison, SP Kiangi Kibwana Abdullah; Deputy SP Mvungi; the Prison Medical Officer, Dr Pemba; Dar es Salaam Regional Health Officer, Mr. Emmanuel Mwandepa and other senior officials from Segerea Prison.

The Prison authorities thanked the WHO for the timely support and assured that the tanks will be used to set up water collection points and hand washing points at different locations within the prison community and in so doing preventing any cholera outbreak in the future.