Cholera adds yet another challenge to the crisis in Sudan and more burden to the decimated health system, which is already struggling with increasing child malnutrition, high numbers of war wounded and regular cases of preventable diseases. Regularly obstructed by both warring parties, the humanitarian response remains far below what is needed.
Case management and water and sanitation services
MSF teams in Khartoum, River Nile, Kassala and Gedaref have mobilized to support the Ministry of Health to respond to the situation, by setting up and running cholera treatment centres and units or providing support to existing overwhelmed treatment facilities in some of the most affected areas and in hard-to-reach places where cases are surging.
Between the end of August and 9 September, we treated 2,165 patients in our supported facilities.
Caused by a water-borne intestinal infection, cholera is transmitted through contaminated food or water, or through contact with fecal matter or vomit from infected people. Cholera can cause severe diarrhea and vomiting, and rapidly prove fatal, within hours, if not treated. But cholera is very simple to treat – re-hydration is key.
“One adult man was unconscious [upon arrival to the facility],” recalls Angela Giacomazzi, the human resources coordinator in Tanedba, who happened to be on site when four people arrived in search of treatment. “Dehydration causes the body to go into shock. When the body reaches that point after a few minutes it’s already too late. Doctors were resuscitating him, squeezing litres of fluids in his veins for about five minutes.”
The patient fortunately survived.
Fonte original msf.org
