Hygiene and health campaign at Zaatari refugee camp

A multi-sector camp-wide campaign supported by UNICEF and UNHCR was conducted in Zaatari last first week of June. The activity aims to increase people’s awareness on diarrhea following the increasing number of diarrhea and bloody diarrhea cases in the camp. The situation is aggravated particularly in hot weather conditions in summer.

During the campaign, JEN’s WASH committee members worked together with hygiene promotion team from other agencies as well as community nurses selected from the Syrian population, visiting each tent or caravan to prevent, detect and treat diarrhea cases in Zaatari. The diagnosed diarrhea cases were treated with Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS). Some severe cases, including bloody diarrhea, were referred directly to the camp hospitals.

Situated in a desert terrain, Zatari camp becomes so white and dusty during the summer.  Despite the extreme heat, the WASH committees continued visiting each tent and caravan to give hygiene education.

One of the street leaders who also member of JEN WASH committees admitted that his participation in the campaign is because his 5 years old son was suffering from diarrhea. “My son was hospitalized for few days until he is recovered. I just found out the diarrhea can be deadly. So I hope this campaign can make other parents aware about it”.

UNHCR mentioned that during one week campaign, more than 4,000 cases of diarrhea were found in children aged 0-5 years old. This multi-sector campaign is expected to be useful in carrying hygiene and health messages to each family across the camp.

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