13 refugees hospitalised as cholera ravages Adjumani

At least 13 refugees who fled from the ongoing conflict in Khartoum, Sudan, have been admitted to Nyumanzi Health Centre III after four of their family members contracted cholera in Adjumani District.

 The Assistant District Health Officer in charge of maternal health, Mr Henry Lulu, told this publication at the weekend that there are currently four positive cases and nine suspected patients at Nyumanzi Health Centre III.

 He said on January 21, 2024, 13 asylum seekers from Khartoum were suspected of having cholera upon arrival at Elegu because they showed signs and symptoms of the disease.

 He added that upon crossing the Uganda border, they were evacuated to Nyumanzi HCIII for resuscitation and further investigation.

 “Four of five specimen samples that were collected and shipped to Central Public Health Laboratory to test for cholera turned positive,” Mr Lulu said.

 He also revealed that 82 close contacts were listed for follow-up and have been put on chemoprophylaxis,  which is the administration of drug to prevent the development of a disease.

 Following the outbreak of cholera, the district health team has said it needs about Shs700 million to curb the spread of the disease.

Cholera cases in Sudan

According to the Federal Ministry of Health and the World Health Organisation (WHO) Sudan outbreaks dashboard, at least 8,267 suspected cases of cholera, including 224 associated deaths (case fatality rate of 2.7 percent), were reported in Sudan as of December 23, 2023 from 46 localities of nine states.

 The  Adjumani District health department, with the humanitarian agencies operating in the refugee settlements, is scaling up the response to the outbreak.

 The project officer of Disaster Preparedness and Response from the Lutheran World Federation, Mr Chrispin Mara, said there was a need to improve access to safe and clean water and hygiene in the settlements.

 The Refugee Desk Officer of Adjumani,  Mr Titus Jogo, said: “We are stepping up surveillance, identifying and addressing risk factors in affected and high-risk areas, especially at the porous border points.”  

 As a measure to curb the spread of the disease, Mr Jogo said: “We have suspended relocation of the new arrivals from Sudan to Kiryandongo and refugees from South Sudan to Palorinya Refugee Settlement. We have not closed borders but we are improvising accommodation for the excess refugees by erecting tents.” 

 The Refugee Welfare councillor III for Adjumani, Mr Bul Garang Gak, appealed to the refugees to observe the standard operating procedures to prevent the further spread of cholera.

ABOUT CHOLERA

 •Cholera is an acute diarrhoeal disease that can kill within hours if left untreated.

•There are an estimated 3–5 million cholera cases and 100,000–120,000 deaths due to cholera every year.

•80 percent of cases can be treated with oral rehydration salts.

•Oral cholera vaccines are considered an additional means to control cholera, but should not replace conventional control measures.

Source: WHO