Papua New Guinea: cholera patients battle stigma

Updated - Monday 19 October 2009

The first known outbreak of cholera in Papua New Guinea in 50 years, has not only killed many people but also stigmatised survivors.

When cholera survivor, Leah Peter, 25, returned home, her fellow villagers ran away in fear. Her boss also told her not to return to her cleaning job. Peter resolved to fight for her rights and started an awareness programme in her settlement to educate people about cholera. She got help from Karin Lind, the Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) doctor who had treated her. Together they developed educational materials, including information sheets about cholera. Besides distributing information, the plan is to talk to people individually.

Educating communities is the only way to overcome the stigma associated with cholera, said Sister Gatsia Muwete, senior nurse at Angau Hospital’s cholera treatment centre. People have died at the side of the road because no one wanted to take them to hospital. Nurses too have to be educated. Those working in the main hospital, avoid their colleague nurses in the cholera centre, Muwete said.

According to World Health Organization (WHO), 126 people died from the recent outbreaks of influenza, cholera and dysentery or shigella, mainly in Morobe Province, where Leah Peter comes from.

Related news:

Cholera: vaccination or improved sanitation?, Source Weekly, 20 May 2009
Cholera: incidence under-reported, millions infected every year says WHO, Source Weekly, 18 Feb 2009

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