Content area
Full Text
MSF addresses unprecedented malaria outbreak in Aweil
Sharp increase in malaria cases seen in MSF health facilities throughout South Sudan in 2012
Juba, October 29, 2012 - An unprecedented malaria outbreak affecting Northern Bahr-el-Ghazal state since May has been brought under control, international medical-humanitarian organisation Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) said today. Between March and August, MSF hospitalised 1612 children with malaria - compared to 688 for the same period last year - in Aweil Civil Hospital, where the organisation runs the paediatric and maternity departments. In September, the mortality rate from malaria in the paediatric ward skyrocketed to eight percent, but was quickly brought down to what is considered acceptable levels. "Malaria has really been overwhelming health facilities in and around Aweil this year", says MSF Project Coordinator Abdelkader Tlidjane. "The particularly heavy rains began earlier than usual and the organisations distributing mosquito nets were not able to distribute them before the spread had taken on epidemic proportions. Also, the population of Aweil has grown significantly since last year, with approximately 100,000 people having returned here from...