OIC calls for urgent assistance to Sierra Leone following cholera outbreak

Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), Prof. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, has called on all member states and the international community at large to urgently extend humanitarian assistance to Sierra Leone following the outbreak of one of the worst cholera epidemic in the country, which has so far affected more than 12,000 people. Prof. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu expressed fears that this preventable and curable disease could contaminate more people unless safe drinking water, adequate sanitation, quick and effective medical care were readily available to the people. He also disclosed that 224 deaths have been recorded and lamented that more lives could be endangered with the advent of heavy rains in the months of September and October 2012. The OIC Secretary General reiterated his support to Sierra Leone which he noted has been undergoing a rebuilding process more than a decade after a long period of civil strife. He subsequently urged all OIC humanitarian stakeholders to provide the much needed relevant medications and equipments to this country in its efforts to fight this deadly disease.