TB spreading fast in eastern Sudan’s Toker

People living in Eshet, near Toker in Red Sea state, suffer from a fast spreading outbreak of tuberculosis.

“The people in the area are weakened by poverty, and there are no health facilities available miles around here,” a resident of Eshet complained to Radio Dabanga.

“That is why the tuberculosis is able to spread so fast,” he explained, and condemned the expulsion of foreign aid organisations in the past years.

“The pharmacy of Eshet exists of a small room and is almost empty. To see a doctor or to buy medicines we have to go to Toker or Sawakin.”

He added that “the already dire living conditions in Eshet deteriorated last year. The people avoid eating meat or drink milk after a rabies epidemic in the area, though even if they would like to eat meat, they would not be able to afford it. The restaurants in Eshet suffered large losses.”

Soaring prices

He further complained of the surge in the consumer goods prices.

Residents of the Red Sea state capital of Port Sudan also condemned the growing costs of living after the Sudanese government lifted the subsidies on fuel in January.

“We now pay SDG40 ($6.50) for a kilogram of fish from the Red Sea. Butchers sell beef for SDG60 ($10) a kilogram, and mutton for SDG70 ($11.50), while an average family has to make do with SDG500 to SDG1,000 a month,” one of them said.

“Many people cannot afford to buy cooking gas any more after its price was hit by a trifold increase. They now resort to charcoal and firewood for heating water and cooking meals.”