821 children died of measles in Eastern Equatoria State
By Isaac Vuni
October 27 2007( TORIT) — Eight hundred twenty one children have died of measles and 2500 are awaiting death in the hand of their mothers at Nanyangacor Catholic Dispensary, about 450 Kilometers from Kapoeta East County, as immunization vaccine is out of reach, the Deputy Governor of Eastern Equatoria State. Birg. General George Echom Ekeno has revealed.
Speaking to journalists, today afternoon, in his office in Torit, Brig Gen. Echom says, “I am forsaken to see more than 2500 mothers helplessly holding our new Sudan children in their hands and only waiting to see their last breath at Nanyangacor dispensary of Kapoeta East county” what a shame on us as a government of southern Sudan, state and our friends from international humanitarian organizations operating in Eastern Equatoria state failing to rescue our children’s life, lament Echom.
Deputy Governor Echom appeals to Goss ministry of health, all international Organizations operating in the state to urgently come to the aid innocent children of Kapoeta East by supplying them with measles vaccine including supplementary feeding for both children and their mothers.
It is to be recalled that Brig.General Echom is on record that among his top priorities are finding solutions to insecurity, provision of medical care services and eradication of poverty among the rural communities
According to catholic nun in charge of Nanyangacor Catholic Dispensary report, 6000 children between the age of 6 to 14 have been vaccinated before the dispensary ran out of vaccine due to slow respond from vaccine supply from Goss ministry of health and effort to reach officials in Goss Health ministry fail to bear fruit by the time we go to the press.
When contacted for comment on the outbreak of measles in Kapoeta East County that has claimed 821 lives of children, the clinical officer we met at Torit Civil Hospital, Mr. Okullo Martin Leopoldo said he has no information on measles out break in Kapoeta East for the last one month and instead he told us that Torit area is free of Measles treat.
Meanwhile Hon. Fr. George Kinga, Goss presidential advisor on religious affairs and a member of SPLM Interim National Council, Hon. Nartisio Loluke, chairman committee for Education and research in southern Sudan Legislative assembly and a member of SPLM Interim National Council together with Mr. Lawarence Kurbandi, SPLM Secretary for state affairs of southern sector registered their condolences to the family of 821 children who succumb to measles menace and appeal to the entire population to remain calm as efforts are being excreted to rescue their children from measles menace in Kapoeta East County and bordering counties
Deputy Governor Echom registered his appreciation to UNMIS for offering their helicopter for transporting emergency assessment team to the affected area yesterday afternoon. As we go to the press the deputy governor is mobilizing medical professional team from local and international agencies operating in Eastern Equtoria State to visit the affected areas of Kapoeta East County.
(ST)