SCP: ‘Measles epidemic now spread to all states of Sudan’

The health sector of the Sudanese Communist Party (SCP) has announced the spread of the measles* epidemic to all states of Sudan.

Yesterday afternoon, the health sector of the party in Khartoum reported in a statement the spread of measles in the five states of Darfur, El Gedaref, Kassala, and the Red Sea, this as well as the seven cases in the camps of returnees from South Sudan.

The statement said that the epidemic has now spread to all the states of Sudan in varying percentages and numbers. It explained that the number of cases in the states of Darfur was hundreds, which led to the referral of some of them to Khartoum state, where there are now cases at intensive care of Ahmed Gasim hospital.

The statement criticised the government for its lack of interest in the combating the epidemic despite measles outbreaks before the fasting month of Ramadan.

The statement explained that the government has not established a monitoring mission so far and that education campaigns and distribution of aid related to the disease and therapeutic units and ambulances have not reached the patients despite their provision by the donors before the holy month of Ramadan as they have been stored in warehouses.

The health sectors of theSCP in the national capital called for the immediate announcement of the epidemic, revealing the real situation in numbers, taking the necessary measures to investigate the causes of the epidemic and immediately providing and distributing vaccines.

It also called on the health sectors in the statement to provide rooms for isolation, free treatment and health education about the symptoms of disease and the prevention methods in the various media outlets, this along with the need to implement health interventions with vaccination and distribution of vitamin A to prevent complications immediately today before tomorrow.

* 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.