Chickenpox, Tuberculosis outbreaks hit Wau Central prison

November 23, 2022 (WAU) – Over 700 inmates at Wau Central prison in South Sudan’s Western Bahr el Ghazal State are at risk of Chickenpox and Tuberculosis, an official said.

The prison director, Major Gen. George Gabriel Gilo blamed the issue on overcrowding.

“We have six cases of Chickenpox, including one at the Juvenal Reformatory Centre. The prison is overcrowded and as I speak, the facility is hosting 776 inmates and accommodation cells are not enough. It is very difficult to isolate them,” he said.

Gilo said awareness creation is needed so that those affected are kept in isolation.

“Six people in prison are affected by Tuberculosis, of which isolating patients remain one of the challenges facing the facility. Those effected need medical attention,” he stated.

The prison official also expressed fears of possible outbreak of Cholera in prison.

“When some people visit these latrines, they do not use sanitizer or wash their hands with soap. I fear this may cause outbreak of Cholera among inmates,” stressed Gilo.

Cholera is an acute diarrheal illness caused by infection of the intestine with Vibrio cholerae bacteria. People can get sick when they swallow food or water contaminated with cholera bacteria. The infection is often mild or without symptoms, but can sometimes be severe and life-threatening.

(ST)