Patients in Wau face increased risk of malaria, typhoid

October 9, 2014 (WAU) – Patients at Wau civil hospital in South Sudan’s Western Bahr el Ghazal state risk facing malaria and typhoid diseases, the hospital’s director has disclosed.

Up to 354 typhoid and 790 malaria cases were recorded at the hospital in August and September respectively, Dr Edmorn Sebit told Sudan Tribune on Thursday.

“Malaria and yyphoid’s cases continue in October rising very high, with mostly children below five years affected with malaria,” said Sebit.

“Since the beginning of October, the rate cases at the hospital have increased with a total of 70 to 80 cases of malaria and typhoid per a day,” he added.

The director attributed the problem to persistence rainy seasons in the area, which has provided breeding grounds for disease carriers.

“Typhoid is mostly affecting adults who use unclean water,” he said, warning people against drinking water directly from open rivers.

Wau civil hospital reportedly has more than 100 children with malaria-related cases who are admitted in different wards.

Sebit says poor roads networks have badly affected delivery of drugs to hospitals.

“As the condition of roads remains a challenge, we are right now relying on non-governmental organizations to obtain malaria and typhoid’s drugs from Juba,” he said.

(ST)