Health deteriorates in Darfur camps

Yellow fever, diarrhea, malaria inflict refugees

Refugees complained on Thursday about deteriorating health conditions in refugee camps across Darfur.Yellow fever grips the north

Residents of Zamzam and Abu Shouk refugee camps in North Darfur complained on Thursday of the prevalence of yellow fever and diarrhea.

The diseases are prevalent especially among young children. One of the refugees from Zamzam camp told Radio Dabanga that yellow fever had spread steadily among the refugees in the past few days.

“The doctors have not specified what drugs to take for the disease so far. In Abu Shouk camp diarrhea is affecting refugees of all ages. There is no medicine and the ones that are available are very expensive,” the refugee said.

The health in Darfur’s refugee camp has been deteriorating because of lack of supplies, medical help and humanitarian assistance.

Dr Shafi Abdalhaf of the epidemiology department in the El Fasher hospital acknowledged the rise in the patients suffering from yellow fever and diarrhea in the North Darfuri camps mentioned above.

However, he stressed that there were only four registered cases of yellow fever in Zamzam camp. “I have been sending blood samples of these patients to make sure what the disease is. The next step is to send a medical team to the camp to verify the disease,” Dr Shafi said.

He also informed that there would be further tests done by the medical team to check on the extent of the spread of the disease.

The residents of Zamzam camp attributed the poor health in the camp to deteriorating living conditions and lack of drinking water in the camp. The refugees pleaded with the authorities to increase security for the organizations that work in the area of water and sanitation.

Malaria in South and West Darfur

In South Darfur four refugees, including two children, died in Kalma camp on Wednesday. The deceased had been suffering from malaria and lacked medical help within the camp.

Camp residents informed Radio Dabanga about the malnutrition and widespread malaria within the settlement, especially among children.

The coordinator of humanitarian work in the camp told Radio Dabanga, “There are increasing numbers of death in the camp with poor health and lack of meals. I have been coordinating food supplies in the camp and I know that they only receive 25 per cent of what they are supposed to receive.”

Most number of deaths in the camp are recorded among the elderly, the children and students. The coordinator of humanitarian work added, “The UN should put pressure on the government to allow more organizations to provide medical help to cure malaria as well as avoid malnutrition among children.”

In West Darfur’s Zalingei camp, malaria is causing a high mortality rate among children because of huge puddles of stagnant water as a result of heavy rains.

The health authorities in the camp called for free treatment of the patients in the camp. There is a need for pesticides and mosquito nets to contain the spread of the disease.

The rains that hit West Darfur on Tuesday also led to the collapse of 16 houses and injured three refugees.