‘Unknown diseases claim lives in Darfur camps’: displaced association

The Darfur Displaced and Refugees Association has announced the death of 150 children, women, youth and elderly displaced people in Kalma camp, South Darfur, during a four month period. The association expressed its deep concern and fear of the unknown diseases that have “rapidly emerged” in the refugee camps in the entire Darfur region during this period of four months. Hussein Abu Sharati, the spokesman for the Association, further told Radio Dabanga that they are calling on the regional and international institutions, headed by the United Nations, the European Union, and African human rights organisations to investigate the facts about the diseases that have appeared recently in the camps.He called on these institutions to send advanced medical convoys, equipment and internationally and regionally recognised specialists to Darfur. “Some people named these unknown diseases chronic malaria, typhoid, epidemic liver diseases, malnutrition, or Ebola,” Abu Sharati pointed out. “Not knowing the diseases which cause many deaths in various camps confirms the absence of any specialists in the camps for the displaced, to accurately test the diseases. Malnutrition, a shortage of health centres, extreme cold, and a lack of blankets and plastic sheeting attribute to the spreading of diseases and the mortality incidences.” File photo: A displaced child in Nyala camp, South Darfur (Radio Dabanga correspondent)Related: Mass protest in South Darfur’s Kalma camp against repeated raids (4 September 2014) 16 Central Darfur children dead from mystery disease (10 August 2014) Unknown disease kills 18 in Kalma camp, South Darfur (24 June 2014)