Darfur: Calls on state governments to take measures against cholera

Local leaders and MPs in West and North Darfur have requested the health authorities to take measures to prevent the spread of cholera in the region. The disease is spreading among mine workers in Sudan's Northern State.

During the past three days, 19 people died of the infectious disease in the isolation centre of Murnei camp for the displaced in West Darfur.

“Since Friday, 44 new cases were recorded,” a Murnei camp sheikh told Radio Dabanga on Sunday. He added that there is no doctor in the camp. Nine volunteer nurses are treating the patients.

In North Darfur, at least four cholera patients died over the weekend.

“On Sunday, two people died in Kabkabiya Hospital,” a volunteer reported. “The isolation ward received 17 new patients on Saturday and Sunday, bringing the total number of cholera cases in ward to 30,” she said.

Birkat Seira in Saraf Omra locality witnessed the death of two cholera patients. “The condition of the five other patients is stable,” an activist told this station.

MPs of the North Darfur parliament have held an emergency meeting with Health Minister Anwar Ishag. They urged him to intervene and establish isolation centres in the villages, as many roads will be impassable during the rainy season and the patients will not be able to reach a hospital or clinic.

Northern Sudan

In the area of Delgo in Northern State, four gold miners died of cholera last week, a medical source reported.

The Hospital of Delgo received 20 miners suffering from the disease. “The hospital evacuated the basement and now uses it as an isolation unit for cholera patients.”

The source predicted the spread of cholera in the region “if the authorities do not interfere. There are about 30,000 people working in the region's traditional mining industry, in an environment lacking the most basic necessities of life, including clean drinking water.”

Parents in the area have appealed on the state Ministry of Education to close the schools for fear of spreading cholera among the students.

Eastern Sudan

In the Hospital of Tokar in Red Sea state, three people died of cholera last week. 48 patients are being treated at the hospital.

Journalist Osman Hashim told Dabanga Radio that the health facility is poorly equipped. “The hospital suffers from a lack of electricity and air-conditioners, and a bad ventilation of the wards.”

The hospital of Singa, capital of Sennar received 11 new cases of cholera on Saturday and Sunday.

A health source told Radio Dabanga that 10 patients came from Singa and nearby villages, while one patient was transported from El Dindir.

Eight people recovered and were discharged over the weekend.

“The people in Singa and surroundings are suffering from a severely polluted environment,” the source said, and appealed to the state authorities to speed-up purifying the drinking water, cleaning the environment, and set-up health awareness campaigns to combat the spread of cholera.

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