Darfur’s Jebel Marra, El Gezira out of cholera medicines

Four people died of cholera in the hospital in Garsila, Central Darfur, from Tuesday to Thursday. In South Kordofan volunteers said that the hospital is running out of medicines for the increasing number of cases in El Abassiya.

In the hospital in Garsila locality and Um Kheir in Wadi Saleh, four people died and 18 people were infected from Tuesday to Thursday. Medical sources reported to Radio Dabanga that the isolation centre in Garsila Hospital recorded one death on Tuesday and received five new cases during the past three days.

The source said that three people infected with cholera died in the administrative unit Um Kheir in the same period. 13 others were infected. “They have been isolated in the medical centre of Um Kheir in Wadi Saleh.”

Photos above: The cholera isolation centre in Tabasa, South Kordofan. Cholera victims are being transferred with a motorcycle (RD)

Reports from Tegeli in El Abassiya locality in South Kordofan indicated that the spread of cholera has led to the death of dozens and the infection of hundreds of people, especially in the Tabasa administrative unit. Activists who volunteer in the local campaign to combat the epidemic reported this to Radio Dabanga on Thursday.

People active in the voluntary and humanitarian work in Tegeli, south of El Abasiya town, added that “about 50 people” died of cholera until 3 September in the Tabasa health centre.

“The hospital was filled with patients amid a crisis in the available medicines, intravenous solutions, medical staff and isolation wards.” – Volunteer in Tegeli, El Abassiya

In Cetral Darfur on Thursday, anti-cholera volunteers informed Radio Dabanga about a decrease in the number of cholera infections in the camps for displaced people in Zalingei locality.

Camps' coordinator El Shafie Abdallah told Radio Dabanga that “yesterday, we witnessed this decrease in five of Zalingei's camps. Camp Khamsa Degaig recorded one case yesterday.” The number of patients in the medical isolation centre amounted to 47 cases until Thursday.

East Jebel Marra

Voluntary workers in Darfur showed concern over reports coming from East Jebel Marra, where the outbreak of cholera claimed lives in villages scattered through the rough-cut Jebel Marra mountains and caves, before the people were able to arrive at the Lebei health centre which treats cholera cases.

Lebei is the only cholera treatment centre in the area, established by the South Darfur Ministry of Health last month. Yesterday volunteers in the area told Radio Dabanga that the rate of cholera infections remains high: they estimated it at more than 100 incoming cases of cholera every day while the area runs short on medicines and health organisations that can intervene.

A listener in East Jebel Marra said: “The situation needs international aid organisations as the area is still troubled by the deteriorating humanitarian situation, complicated political situation because of the many conflicting parties.”

For years the Sudanese military force, pro-government militias, and rebel movements engaged in battle and called off attacks over the control of the Jebel Marra mountains, where the rebels hold their ground.

North, Central Darfur

The hospital in El Sareif Beni Hussein locality in North Darfur received two cases of cholera on Wednesday night. “The rate of cholera infections in the locality has recently dropped,” an activist told this station from El Sareif. “Four patients are currently hospitalised here.”

El Gezira

Abu Guta hospital in El Gurashi locality recorded one death and 20 cases of cholera which arrived at its isolation wards after Eid El Adha, one week ago.

Volunteers who are active in the hospital told Radio Dabanga that the disease spread because of the rains during the past period. “There is an acute shortage of medicines, intravenous solutions and medical cadres.”

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