Cholera update: Displaced people in Darfur especially vulnerable

On Monday six people died at Kabkabiya hospital in North Darfur of cholera, while on Tuesday the isolation centre reported 18 new cases of the disease, bringing the total number of hospitalised cases to 28. More deaths and infections have been reported from across Sudan.

The Coordinator of Kabkabiya camps told Radio Dabanga that four of the dead were displaced persons residing at El Salam, Midan El Kheil and Hay El Salam camps, while the other two were residing in the western and northern areas of Kabkabiya.

The Coordinator said that the Minister of Health of North Darfur visited the isolation centre in Kabkabiya hospital on Tuesday.

On Tuesday the number of hospitalised cases of cholera at the medical isolation centre of camp Zamzam in North Darfur amounted to eight.

The Coordinator of Zamzam camps told Radio Dabanga that the patients are suffering of lack of light in the isolation centre.

He pointed out that there is only one medical assistant for all infection cases in the hospital.

He said the local authorities have not responded to their repeated demands to spray the camp and specify the health centre for cases of cholera.

Read Sea state

In Red Sea state in eastern Sudan, Tokar Hospital reported 11 cases of cholera on Monday.

Yesterday journalist Osman Hashim told Radio Dabanga that the cases are concentrated in Kurit district which has already witnessed dengue fever.

Medical sources attributed the infections to contamination of the water wells of the district.

Osman Hashim explained the conflicting information on the reasons for the postponement of the visit of the Assistant to the President of the Republic Mousa Mohamed Ahmed on Monday.

He pointed out that the locality administration apologised for receiving the Assistant to the President because of climatic conditions and wind, while other sources said the visit was postponed because of the outbreak of cholera.

El Gedaref

On Tuesday a health source told Radio Dabanga that the number of cholera cases in three localities of El Gedaref has amounted 92 cases.

The health source pointed out that the number of cases recorded at Salemeen village of Gala El Nahal was 65 cases, while El Gedaref isolation centre recorded 15 cases and the number of hospitalised cases were 30.

The health source said the number of infection in the areas of El Hawata and Garmi has amounted to 12 cases.

South Kordofan

More than 10 people have been infected with cholera in Kadugli and eastern rural areas of South Kordofan this week.

On Wednesday a medical source told Radio Dabanga from Kadugli that the cholera medical isolation centre at Kadugli Hospital have received more than 10 cases from Saturday to Wednesday.

He said that there are four cases that have not recovered remaining in the isolation centre and explained that most of the cases are coming from inside Hajar Balila district in Kadugli and other cases received from the eastern countryside.

Various medical isolation centres in El Tadamon locality in South Kordofan have recorded 11 cases of cholera during this week.

He said that there are three cases remaining in the centre to receive treatment.

The director of the health unit at El Wakara said the cholera isolation centre has recorded 10 cases since the beginning of the week until Wednesday.

He said that the medical isolation centre at Um El Kheirat received one case.

The director of the health unit has complained about lack of medicines in the centre.

The incidences of cholera had significantly increased in Kabkabiya locality in North Darfur on Wednesday.

Yesterday a woman volunteer told Radio Dabanga that the hospital recorded 21 new cases of cholera, bringing the total number of patients in the isolation ward to 49.

She explained that the hospital is overcrowded with cases of cholera which necessitated the accommodation of every two cases in one bed.

She pointed out that most of the cases are from Kabkabiya camps.

She pointed out to the poor health care in the hospital, the environmental degradation and the accumulation of waste on the roads in Kabkabiya.

El Geneina

In El Geneina, the Minister of Health of West Darfur, Mohamed Yousif Ahmed announced the death of 3 people of cholera out of nine other cases in Murnei area. The Minister told a news conference that one of the three deaths happened before entering the hospital.

On Wednesday a woman died of cholera and eight others were infected including women and children at camp Kalma in Nyala.

A medical source at the camp said that the American Refugee Committee (ARC) health centre received two cases yesterday and six others on Monday and Tuesday.