Cholera hits Sierra Leone hard, leaving 100 deadBy KEMO CHAM in Freetown | Tuesday, August 14   2012 at  16:46

Sierra Leone officials have announced that the death toll from the cholera outbreak was over 100.

The latest figures put overall cholera infections since February at 4, 249.

The ministry of health Friday announced a new response strategy involving house to house campaign to disinfect households and market palaces as well as chlorinating wells.

The cholera rapidly spread across the country in less than six months since the first case was confirmed in February putting at risk the health of two million people.

Only 57 per cent of Sierra Leoneans have access to clean water, 60 per cent of toilet facilities are pit latrines and over 30 per cent of Sierra Leoneans defecate in the open.

Civil society has accused the government of doing too little to address the situation.

Medicine San Frontier (MSF) and Action Firm (AF) have been helping out in providing free medical care for victims while the Sierra Leone Red Cross has mobilised about 400 volunteers to help out on sanitation awareness campaigns.

State media reported Sunday the government was set to convene an emergency meeting with all health stakeholders to discuss the next strategy.