The Kakhovka dam in southern Ukraine was destroyed on Tuesday and this caused flooding. Médecins du Monde says it fears this Wednesday the appearance of “a whole quantity of waterborne diseases”.
“Cholera is the ultimate threat, but there are a whole host of waterborne diseases” after the destruction of the Kakhovka dam in southern Ukraine, said Helena Ranchal, director of international operations Médecins du Monde, on franceinfo Wednesday June 7. The NGO teams are stationed in Mikolaiv with the Ukrainian Red Cross. They take care of the first people who flee the area and prepare aid in the disaster areas.
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franceinfo: How will the next few days go?
Helena Ranchal: We are concerned for the future, for the days to come, for the area under Russian control, because we do not have access to it and we know that it is the most affected. From a health point of view, on the Kherson side, there were places where access to deliver care was very complicated for security reasons. Now, we find ourselves with this problem where people cannot travel on the Russian side. On the Kherson side, which is a little less affected, people are waiting for the days to come. We have to let go, we have to see all the mines that can be moved.
In what state are the sanitary infrastructures?
Some health centers are not functional for security reasons. The Mikolaiv hospital is ready, it has the capacity to respond. For the others, it’s still a little early to say, because there are evaluations that are in progress. In any case, the solution is Mikolaiv and the surrounding towns. With the rising waters, all materials, especially for vaccination, medicines, will be completely destroyed. Everything will have to be routed again. Mobile teams were mobilized to provide care and support. For the moment, there are not many people, but we will really monitor the situation in the days to come depending on the decline.
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Water cuts are likely to be a problem?
It could be a problem, already for the consumption of drinking water. Cholera is the ultimate threat, but there are a whole host of waterborne diseases that can come first. This is why we are very vigilant. We have taken all the measures with the authorities on the spot, for example, to mobilize kits against cholera, against all waterborne diseases. There is also the whole mental health aspect. We are talking about people who have been living on the front line for 14 months. It is very heavy and, now, it is the additional agony.