Following the declaration of a cholera outbreak in February 2024, MSF responded on Anjouan and Mohéli islands by supporting the Ministry of Health’s cholera response. We focused on improving care, infection prevention and control measures, and facility patient flow, through staff training and facility upgrades.

MSF also expanded the treatment capacity in several facilities, for example increasing the number of beds in Hombo cholera treatment centre from 23 to 47 beds, and in Domoni treatment centre, from eight to 27 beds. In addition, we collaborated with UNICEF and the Comoros Red Crescent, in coordination with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, to decentralise care, by establishing one mobile and six fixed oral rehydration points on Anjouan, and improve patient stabilisation and referral systems. 

As well as helping to strengthen patient care and improve the organisation of health facilities, we supported the Ministry of Health by conducting vaccination campaigns with the oral cholera vaccine on both islands.

By mid-July, as cholera cases declined, the rehydration points were reintegrated into health centres. We concluded our activities that month, after making a final donation of medical supplies and training staff to maintain cholera response capacity.