Seven die from unknown fever

A number of residents from Central Darfur complained to Radio Dabanga about the increasing number of deaths and cases of an unknown fever in the region, in addition, to the increasing number of malaria and measles cases. According to them, at least seven people died in the past two days in the area of Korley, south of Zalingei, as a result of the diseases and the shortage of medicines and poor health services. In an interview with Radio Dabanga, the minister of health in Central Darfur, Issa Mohamed Musa Yusuf, confirmed that an unknown type of fever and malaria have been spreading in Nertety and Zalingei localities. Yusuf added that so far three people have died and another 10 were diagnosed with the fever in these localities. Besides, he acknowledged to have received complaints from residents, especially from Romatas camp, about the spread of the unknown fever and the increase of malaria and measles cases. Yusuf also confirmed the substantial shortage of medicines and poor health services in the state, as pointed out by residents. The minister continued that samples were taken from the patients and sent to Khartoum for to be analyzed. He attributed the spread of diseases to the heavy rains and the state’s failure to provide the necessary tools to fight them, for example spraying of pesticides, he added to Radio Dabanga from Zalingei. Yusuf told Radio Dabanga that a medical team was sent to the Romatas camp, where they claimed to have found only a few cases of the measles. He pointed out informing his ministry that he is working on solving the problem, despite the shortages in medication and the poor health services the state is experiencing. Health conference El-Geneina A conference for the development of health strategies for all of Darfur states, held in El-Geneina in West Darfur, was concluded on Wednesday October 10. The conference acknowledged the deterioration and collapse of the health services sector in all of Darfur’s states as well as the need to develop the sector. The development of the sector should target primary health care and the establishment of health structures in areas affected by war.All five Darfur health ministers agreed to develop and implement a comprehensive strategy to address the problems in the health sector, giving priority to the establishment of health institutions in East and Central Darfur. The minister of health of the Darfur Regional Authority, Osman El-Bushra, said that during the conference a comprehensive and integrated strategy was agreed upon. According to him, the strategy entails mobilizing participants of the upcoming donors conference in Doha in December, to provide essential health care to the citizens of the state.Related content: ‘Catastrophic’ medical services in Darfur region (18 September 2012)                                     Workshops held in Darfur prior to Doha (24 September 2012)