Eastern Sudan reports spread of tuberculosis

A report by the state government concluded that there is a high rate of tuberculosis cases in Kassala in eastern Sudan. During the past few years, the number has risen to “more than 6,000 cases”.

A total of 1,639 people with tuberculosis have been registered in Kassala in the past year, according to the state department's tuberculosis administration office. 346 cases were registered in the past three months.

'Undiscovered cases of tuberculosis might be twice as high as the registered cases,' the report underscored.

“There is almost no treatment available against tuberculosis,” a medical source in the state told Radio Dabanga yesterday. “The costs of the treatment are high, too.” He claimed that more cases that are resistant to the treatment are emerging.

Speaking to Radio Dabanga, Beja Congress leader Abdallah Mousa said that the increase in the number of tuberculosis cases lately can be attributed to poverty in eastern Sudan. “There is a high rate of malnutrition and poor health care.”

Hamed Idris, former member of the Red Sea state parliament, informed the station this month about the spread of the tuberculosis disease in Red Sea, calling it a 'marginalised' state. “There is a lack of medical staff and medicines, while the health authorities impose high examination and hospital fees.”