It has been more than six months since the devastating 7.8-magnitude earthquake hit Nepal. More than 9,000 people lost their lives and hundreds of thousands of people were displaced. Numerous health care centers, hospitals and village health posts in the worst-affected areas were destroyed, along with water and sewerage systems.
Months on, thousands still live in makeshift shelters and camps, many with limited access to clean drinking water and toilets. To make matters worse, the monsoon season hit and increased legitimate fears of widespread disease outbreak. Some even suggested it was possible more Nepalese would die of disease than the earthquake itself.
Consequently, a group of eminent international doctors, including Jeremy Farrar, the director of the Wellcome Trust, called for the speedy introduction of a vaccine against hepatitis E infection, which they said could prevent the deaths of more than 400 pregnant women.
About the author
Sophie Cousins
Sophie Cousins a Devex Contributor based in South Asia. She is a health journalist focused on women and girls. She was previously based between Lebanon and Iraq, focusing on refugee health and conflict. She writes for international medical journals, including The Lancet, and for international news websites such as the Guardian.
