Download Background:

Volcanic eruption:
Mount Nyiragongo, 10 kilometres from the city of Goma in the Democratic
Republic of Congo, erupted on Thursday 17 January in the afternoon and lava
began flowing into the surrounding area. It caused massive displacement of the
population from the city of Goma towards the Rawanda border town of Gisenyi.
Between Sunday and Monday 21 January 95% of the population that fled Goma,
had returned. The eruption has caused great destruction in the city of Goma,
estimated at 40%. No accurate numbers on deaths and injuries are currently
available.
The vast majority (98%) of population has returned to the city of Goma despite
continuing seismic activity. After the eruption of the volcano, tremors continued to
hit Goma town and the whole region. The volcano experts are reporting that this
is usual following a massive eruption. The official prediction of the vulcanologists
is that further eruptions of Mount Nyiragongo are not to be expected.
The water system is now operating in about 50 % of the town, and electricity
has been reconnected almost everywhere. Water supply to Goma is largely
restored and tests indicate the quality to be acceptable. As part of the
population is still obliged to collect water from the lake, a water chlorinating
project has been initiated by the NGO AMI KIVU.
Health Situation
1. Situation prior to the eruption
Prior to the volcanic eruption, the health situation in DRC reflected how a
combination of years of conflict, displacement, poverty, and a collapsed health
system is translated into escalating and elevated mortality and morbidity rates.
The main killers remain malaria, measles, respiratory infections (including
tuberculosis), diarrhoeal diseases, and malnutrition. The rate of women dying as
a result of complications of pregnancy is 3 -5 times higher than the African
average. Epidemics (cholera, meningitis, dysentery, measles and plague) are
frequent. HIV/AIDS prevalence rate is increasing, estimated at 20 %. Security
and safety limit the access and in many districts, the health facilities and the local
health authorities are only functioning because of external support (NGOs,
donors, UN agencies). Thus, fragmentation, provision of limited curative care and
lack of preventive care, except for the polio eradication program activities,
characterize the health system delivery.
2. What are some of the main Public Health hazards of Volcanic
eruption?:
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Respiratory and Ocular effects (inhalation of ash particles and eye
irritation) The ash particles produced in explosive eruptions are often
small enough to be readily inhaled deep into the lungs and coarser
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particles may lodge in the nose or eye. Eye irritation and minor corneal
abrasions can result from ash particles entering the eye.
Trauma from the collapse of buildings
Burns
Short-circuiting of outdoor power equipment resulting from moist ash
deposits, which is a conductor of electricity, on unprotected insulation.
Communicable diseases: Debris and tephra that fall around volcanoes
may obstruct rivers and fill in lakes, and unusual flooding and pooling of
water can lead to conditions conducive to the spread of endemic infectious
diseases. Cholera and other water borne diseases will be threatening the
population.
Toxic effects: Water should be routinely tested for chemical toxicity after
eruption. The pH of rivers can be lowered by acidic ash and thus endanger
the poplation. Lakes and rivers used for drinking water need to be tested if
the ash is known to have or is suspected of having a high fluoride content.
Ionizing radiation: Radon may be emitted in large quantities in eruption
columns where it unlikely to pose a health risk. However, radon my adhere
to ash particles and thus expose the population to radiation risks. Ash itself
may have a high uranium content, and its radioactivity needs to be
checked if it is from a volcano with well differentiated magma.
Mental Health: As with other types of natural disasters, an eruption may
cause people to become anxious or depressed or to experience posttraumatic stress disorders.
3- WHO Priorities
WHO is advocating for a coordinated support to prioritised health
interventions and for a better use of resources, to respond to this disaster.
This will only be achieved through a viable coordination mechanism focused
on information sharing for accurate assessments.
WHO will thus focus on:
1. ensuring the effective coordination of health interventions through the
collection, analysis and dissemination of health information by
experienced emergency public health specialists;
2. conducting a rapid health assessment to determine the major health risks
and consequences;
3. supporting and strengthening epidemiological surveillance and disease
outbreak monitoring;
4. supporting health facilities and partners with the necessary drugs,
vaccines and supplies.
4- Concerns:
Epidemics risks include cholera as some cases have been detected so far,
but these remain below epidemic level, and measles, with 2 cases seen in
Gisenyi area, where some of the displaced population of Goma has taken
refuge. There is a serious concern regarding meningitis as a result of the preoutbreak vaccination activities. No new cases seen have been identified yet.
Epidemiological surveillance has been strengthened and has been shifted to
an active one, with daily reporting and analysis of data from health facilities.
A decision was taken by the authorities and the NGOs to deliver health care in
the centers , free of charge for the coming month.
5- Constraints
Many families are homeless, and out of the two main hospitals one was reported
to have been destroyed along with a number of health centres. WHO offices
were destroyed by the lava. The WHO team from Goma was evacuated to Kigali
and Bukavu and is in the process of returning to Goma to assess the situation.
WHO Response
The WHO offices and stocks in Goma have been destroyed. WHO is working to
re-establish the office. The WHO Representative in Rwanda visited Gisenyi and
Goma together with the Minister of Health from Rwanda. A coordination
mechanism for health has been set up and support to the local authorities is
being provided, including epidemiological surveillance and immunization.
The WHO emergency public health coordinator for the Great Lakes has been
deployed to DR Congo and has been joined by the EHA regional adviser from
the Africa Regional Office. WHO is holding frequent coordination meetings
with partners. Support is being provided to the surveillance system to ensure
that it is sensitive enough to monitor outbreaks. In addition, WHO has sent
epidemiologists and water and sanitation engineers to help in the relief effort.
To alleviate the immediate suffering of the displaced persons, four emergency
health kits and two trauma kits have been sent to Rwanda. Medicine and kits
have also been sent from Kinshasa.