A cholera epidemic is currently threatening up to a million people living in the poorest areas of the Peruvian capital, Lima. The European Community Humanitarian Office (ECHO) is funding a programme to stop the disease spreading, and to treat the victims.

The ghettoes of Lima are suffering the devastating effects of a drought that has dried up urban water supplies. The trickle left is inadequate, both in quality and quantity.

ECHO is working in partnership with Medecins Sans Frontieres-Belgium (MSF) on a programme to last three months, with funding of 200,000 European Currency Units (Ecu) to help people survive the alert. The plan is to provide safe drinking water, as well as medicines and medical supplies, including rehydration salts and antibiotics. MSF will also carry out an epidemiological survey to trace the course of the epidemic.