Poor drinking water blamed for new cholera outbreaks. Credit: Damian Baker.

By Damian Baker

Lae city in Papua New Guinea’s eastern Morobe Province is struggling to cope with another outbreak of cholera.

The Angau Memorial Hospital in the country’s second largest city has reported treating 163 cases of cholera, but the infection rate is believed to be much higher. Twelve new cases were reported in the city of Lae last week with health authorities blaming inadequate supplies of fresh water and poor sanitation on the new outbreaks.

The outbreak occurred as aid organisations had left the city after the initial outbreak had ended.

Provincial Health officer Dr Likei Theo told Radio New Zealand last week that, while the cholera outbreak in rural districts had been contained, in Lae city urban squatter settlements are posing more problems. He says poor drinking water and inadequate sanitation at the overcrowded settlements could trigger a new wave of illnesses.

Dr Theo said it appeared many people were falling back into old, unsanitary ways after the initial outbreak of cholera was considered over. He added authorities were finding it difficult to sustain the hygiene message.

“We don’t have the capacity to continue to sustain the force of it, to make sure that those who are cooking the food on the street are not allowed to do so, and other things – the people of the settlements do anything they like,” he said to Radio New Zealand.

“So we are trying to build up our capacity again by recalling our partners and probably we can resume our extensive campaign.”

The city’s health authorities have taken steps to cut down on the spread of infection, including the postponement of the yearly agricultural show and last week’s closure of Lae market.

More than 100 people have died in the outbreak, reported Radio Australia.

Damian Baker will post a full report on the health situation in Lae later this week.

Additional material by Rich Bowden.

Tags: cholera, cholera outbreak, health png, Lae, sanitation, Water