Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
UNAMID
El Geneina (Agenzia Fides) - The people living in El Geneina camps for the displaced in West Darfur complain about the spread of malaria, along with a shortage of affordable medicines. As of 28 October, 410 cases of whooping cough have been reported in a locality in North Darfur, according to the Sudanese Ministry of Health. Local sources of West Darfur's El Riyadh camp said that about ten months ago malaria began to spread in the El Geneina camps, especially among children and that health centres in the camps receive about 30 patients per day. Dozens of more patients return home each day without having seen a doctor.
A joint team from the Sudanese Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO) arrived in El Geneina to assess the health situation in the state. It recorded 210 viral haemorrhagic fever patients, and 83 of them have died. Samples taken from West Darfur patients tested positive for Chikungunya virus, and Dengue virus. In addition, the whooping cough outbreak in El Sereif Beni Hussein, North Darfur, started in early September and has affected all age groups. No deaths have been reported so far by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). About half (193) of all cases have been reported in the El Hariga village, where the outbreak started, and the remainder are from eight neighbouring villages. Whooping cough is a highly contagious bacterial disease of the respiratory tract that occurs mainly in infants and young children. (AP) (Agenzia Fides 13/11/2015)
AFRICA/SOUTH AFRICA - “Protests over the just demands of healthcare workers must not harm patients,” says Bishop of Mthatha
AFRICA/DR CONGO - Catholic parish and hospital in Birambizo looted: vaccination campaign against measles ruined