Measles patients in West Darfur overcrowd hospital

A number of people in West Darfur have been infected with measles. Most of the patients are children. The hospital in the state capital is overcrowded.

Relatives of the patients told Radio Dabanga that El Geneina hospital has received dozens of measles* patients, most of them children. The hospital is overcrowded with patients, they said. Some of them suffer from malaria.

The relatives complained about the lack of medication in the hospitals and rise of prices in the commercial pharmacies.

A medical source told Radio Dabanga that “all official efforts are focusing on malaria, which aggravated the conditions of patients with measles”.

The source said that the intermediate cadres are not trained enough to respond to cases of diseases which require medical isolation.

People in South Darfur reported at the end of August that there was a spread of measles, especially among children.

The health sector of the Sudanese Communist Party has earlier announced the number of cases of measles in the states of Darfur have amounted to hundreds and that the government has formed teams to investigate and monitor cases.

* Measles: Key facts (Source: WHO)

• Measles is one of the leading causes of death among young children even though a safe and cost-effective vaccine is available.
• Measles vaccination resulted in a 84% drop in measles deaths between 2000 and 2016 worldwide.
• In 2016, about 85% of the world's children received one dose of measles vaccine by their first birthday through routine health services – up from 72% in 2000.
• During 2000-2016, measles vaccination prevented an estimated 20.4 million deaths making measles vaccine one of the best buys in public health.
• In 2016, there were 89 780 measles deaths globally – marking the first year measles deaths have fallen below 100 000 per year.