MARBURG VIRUS: Alongside vaccinations, the foundation of prevention begins with the basics, says WaterAid Rwanda
Vaccine trials for the Marburg virus disease (MVD) have begun in Rwanda after the country declared an outbreak of the deadly virus in September, which has already reportedly killed 12 people.
With at least 46 cases confirmed so far, many of which are healthcare workers, WaterAid Rwanda is shining a light on the fact that "the foundation of prevention begins with the basics" calling on water, sanitation and hygiene to be prioritised to "safeguard the long-term health of Rwandan communities."
In response to the outbreak, Vestine Mukeshimana, Country Director at WaterAid Rwanda, said:
“Our thoughts are with those who are affected by the Marburg virus outbreak in Rwanda, as the death toll rises to 12, most of which are health workers.
“Amid the threat of Marburg, we must remember that alongside vaccinations, the foundation of prevention begins with the basics: water, sanitation, and hygiene. These measures are cost-effective, readily available, and vital to reducing the spread of deadly diseases, both in country and globally.
“Yet currently 1 in 4 healthcare facilities lack clean water, sanitation, and hygiene, turning them into breeding grounds for bacteria to thrive.
“WaterAid Rwanda is committed to supporting the government in advancing sustainable water solutions and promoting hygiene behaviour change. This is crucial to safeguarding the long-term health of Rwandan communities and swiftly contain the global spread of diseases like Marburg.”
WaterAid Rwanda is monitoring the situation closely and in touch regularly with the Ministry of Health to support the national response, focusing on the life-saving preventative role of clean water and hygiene practices.
ENDS
For more information, please contact, call our after-hours press line on +44 (0)7887 521 552, or email [email protected].
About WaterAid
WaterAid is an international not-for-profit determined to make clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene normal for everyone, everywhere within a generation. We work alongside communities in 22 countries to secure these three essentials that transform people’s lives. Since 1981, WaterAid has reached 28 million people with clean water and nearly 29 million people with decent toilets.
For more information, visit our website wateraid.org/uk; follow us on Twitter @WaterAidUK, @WaterAid or @WaterAidPress; or find us on Facebook, LinkedIn or Instagram.
- 703 million people in the world – almost one in ten – don’t have clean water close to home.
- 2.2 billion people in the world – more than one in four – don’t have safe water.
- Almost 2 billion people in the world – one in four – lack soap and/or water to wash their hands at home, if they have a place at all.
- 1.5 billion people in the world – almost one in five – don’t have a decent toilet of their own.
- 570 million people in the world – 1 in 14 – have a decent toilet but have to share it with people outside their family. This compromises the privacy, dignity and safety of women and girls.1
- Almost 400,000 children under five die every year due to diseases caused by unsafe water, sanitation and hygiene. That's more than 1000 children a day, or almost one child every one and a half minutes.2
- Investing in safely managed water, sanitation and hygiene services provides up to 21 times more value than it costs.3
1: WHO/UNICEF (2023), Progress on household drinking water, sanitation and hygiene 2000-2022: special focus on gender (accessed 11 Jul 2023)
2: WHO (2023), Burden of disease attributable to unsafe drinking-water, sanitation and hygiene: 2019 update (accessed 24 Jul 2023)
3: WaterAid (2021), Mission-critical: Invest in water, sanitation and hygiene for a healthy and green economic recovery (accessed 1 Nov 2023).
