The Ministry of Health in South Darfur State said it has recorded seven cases of measles among children in the Um Siyala area of Mershing Locality.
Measles is a highly contagious viral disease, marked by fever, cough, and red spots on the skin and is spread by coughing and contact with fluids from the mouth and nose of the infected.
It remains a cause of death among young children globally, despite the availability of a safe and effective vaccine, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Abbas Hassan Shams al-Din, the director of health emergencies and epidemics control at the Ministry of Health, told Radio Tamazuj on Saturday that on the seventh day of the current month, his department received a report of a suspected case of measles in Nyala Teaching Hospital, coming from Um Siyala area in Mershing locality, located about 30 kilometres north of Nyala city, the capital of South Darfur State.
Abbas explained that upon receiving the report, an investigation team was immediately formed, consisting of the emergency and epidemic control department, surveillance department, expanded immunization management, and medical staff. After clinical investigation, the case was identified, and according to the protocol, it was confirmed to be measles.
After identifying the case, a rapid response team was sent to the suspected area (Um Siyala) to search for other cases. After the investigation, additional cases were identified, bringing the total number of cases in the area to 7.
Abbas thanked the Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) for facilitating the mission of the emergency teams and providing medicines to treat the cases.
He further stated that six of the infected cases had not received vaccination doses due to the unavailability of vaccines within the state since April of last year, leading to the current catastrophic situation.
In April 2023, the main headquarters of the Expanded Immunization Management in Niyala was looted and the cold chain systems were vandalized, causing the destruction and expiration of the available serums due to direct sunlight exposure and high temperatures.
Enas Abdel Kareem Zachariah, a local resident, appealed to the responsible authorities to allow access to serums and medicines in South Darfur State after the emergence of measles cases in the state. She added, “Now, children are paying the price, and this is considered a crime against children.”
It is worth mentioning that since the outbreak of the war in mid-April in Niyala, children and pregnant women have not received the necessary vaccinations, worsening their health conditions.