United Nations Radio

The World Health Organization -WHO has launched an emergency health response plan for the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

WHO Spokesman Paul Garwood says the major features of this plan identify three key health problems: insufficient levels of care for the displaced people, the risk of a cholera outbreak and the threat of the measles epidemic.

"Medicine, equipment, vaccination programmes and personnel are needed to provide some 2.5 million displaced and locals with quality health care and detectors of cholera, measles and also whooping cough outbreaks within 72 hours. The plan also says that 100,000 expectant mothers need urgent obstetric and neo-natal care while ...protection is also needed for those mothers as well as 500,000 children age under five."

Garwood also announced new donations of medical supplies and water purification equipment for the DRC.

He says the government of Norway confirmed that it would provide almost thirty tons of medicines capable of treating up to 150,000 people for the next months for conditions such as diarrhoeal diseases, trauma and other critical health needs. Norway is also sending water purification equipment that can provide clean drinking water for at least 60,000 people for the time being.

This is Donn Bobb reporting for United Nations Radio.

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