30% children malnourished in N. Darfur’s locality- survey

A health survey carried out by an international organization in North Darfur indicated that more than 30 percent of the children in Almaha locality are suffering from malnutrition while others are infected with the Kala-azar disease. A source informed Radio Dabanga on Wednesday that the Almaha hospital receives at least five malnourished children aged between six months and six years old every week. Last month, it received 150 children and last year 949 children were admitted at the hospital with the same symptoms. The main causes of malnutrition are lack of maternity and primary health care along with poor awareness and early warning. The most affected areas are Almaha town, Jebel Isa, Alhara, Ain Basarou, Kundra and Batran. The survey further indicated the spread of the Kala-azar disease, also known as Dundum fever among the children. This disease is reportedly the second-largest parasitic killer in the world (after malaria), infecting about 500.000 people every year. Residents of Jebel Isa confirmed the report’s claims about the high incidence of Kala-azar and complained about the lack of medicine and health care to treat it. They said those infected with the disease are transferred to El-Fasher and then to Khartoum for treatment.   A medical team, residents noted, visited the area last year and recommended locals to combat sand fly, the carrier of the disease. However, no action was taken in this regard, they said.Photo: Villagers from Khartoum Jaded in Darfur wait at the clinic that was closed (Sojoud Elgarrai/UNAMID)