Central Darfur Minister denies deaths from mysterious disease

The Minister of Health of Central Darfur State has denied that there have been fatalities among children and donkeys suffering from a ‘mysterious disease’ in El Salam camp for the displaced in Deleig. In an interview with Radio Dabanga on Tuesday, Eisa Mohamed Musa, Central Darfur State’s Health Minister, strongly denied the deaths. He responded to a claim by one of El Salam camp sheikhs that 23 children and 59 donkeys did not survive the disease. The Minister said that the cases were suspected to be whooping cough. He affirmed that samples were sent last week to a referral laboratory in Khartoum for diagnosis. “We have not received the results so far.” He stated that the ministry had received reports from the Deleig rural hospital about 12 cases of pneumonia among children. In total 15 pneumonia cases were recorded in February. 55 percent of these cases have not received vaccination, 33 percent have not completed their vaccinations, and 11 percent have not had vaccination because they have no vaccination cards. “The age of the children infected with pneumonia ranges between 1-5 years old. No one has died.“  According to the Minister the cases are limited to the area of El Salam camp, emphasising the absence of similar cases in other areas in Central Darfur. “The situation is now stable.” He demanded from “those who claim there were deaths among children to report the details to the director of Deleig hospital”. He advised the parents to ensure the vaccination of their children after they are born, telling them that “vaccines are available in the hospital of Deleig”. Ministry faced with challenges The Health Minister told Radio Dabanga that “the ministry is facing many challenges”.“We are short of medical staff, and of transportation means, in order to cover vast distances to remote areas in Central Darfur. In addition, we are in urgent need of a referral laboratory to be located in one of the states of Darfur to diagnose suspected diseases, instead of having to send samples to Khartoum.” Musa also pointed to “the problem of transmission of diseases from neighbouring Chad and the Central African Republic. But above all, the transmission of diseases in Darfur is associated with the seasons. Climatic conditions play an important role in the spread of diseases.”“Apart from this, many women have complicated child births. And many of them are suffering from urinary fistula.” The Minister stressed the need for citizens to pay attention to primary health care. “The people are not well informed about health issues. They do not understand the messages broadcasted via the local radio stations about timely vaccinations.” He called on “the citizens of Deleig in particular and of Darfur in general, to regularly visit the nearest health facility, medical centre, or hospital, whenever there is an outbreak of a disease. They should actively search for information, reports, and follow- ups about the symptoms, spread, and treatment of the disease.” File photo:Patients waiting in front of a health clinic in Darfur Related: ‘Mysterious disease’ in Central Darfur kills 23 children (23 February 2014) 15 children die of ‘mysterious disease’ in Central Darfur (16 February 2014) Central Darfur children stricken by mystery disease (12 February 2014)