The forgotten threat of cholera in Syria
Orwa Al-Abdulla, Maher Alaref
Abstract
Cholera is an ancient disease that persists as an issue of public health in many conflict-affected countries worldwide. Cholera is a diarrheal infection caused by ingested water or food contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. On 10 September 2022, the Ministry of Health in Syria declared a cholera outbreak. Poor water and sanitation systems, disease surveillance breakdown, the collapse of the health system, and deteriorated socioeconomic conditions are potential risk factors for the outbreak's spread. Identifying the context-related factors associated with the spread of disease is a core to developing practical response mechanisms. In this study, we suggested a multisectoral approach that addresses context-specific elements contributing to the cholera outbreak spread in Syria; public health determinants, geopolitics, risk factors, and pandemic fatigue.