Warrap State’s health authorities have announced a measles outbreak within the returnees’ transit camp situated in the heart of Kuajok headquarters, besides rising cases of anthrax in Gogrial West County.
John Akol Akol, the State’s vigilant surveillance officer, told Radio Tamazuj on Friday that the measles outbreak had spread like wildfire in the Wartit Transit camp. He also expressed apprehensions about the potential surge in cases throughout the surrounding communities as the returnees assimilate into their host surroundings.
Akol emphasized, “The health situation in Warrap State is not good because this is malaria season and grasses are tall, and that increases occurrences of snake bites. We are also encountering measles outbreak among the returnees most severely on children that we lost eight children due to measles coupled with severe malaria cases.”
“He further noted that the vulnerable children returning from Sudan were not adequately vaccinated against measles, precipitating an outbreak that wrought havoc in Gogrial West County. Akol cautioned that a similar dire situation is anticipated in Twic and other counties. Three measles death cases occurred in Kuajok hospital and five death cases happened at Wartit block, a transit camp which is known as (COTAL) and this is because children who returned from Sudan were not vaccinated against measles,” he lamented.
John elaborated on their strategic response, emphasizing the importance of vaccinating returnees upon their arrival. He stated, “The returnee who doesn’t show signs and symptoms is vaccinated, and those with severe measles are admitted in Kuajok hospital though we have no drugs due to lack of partner supporting the hospital, only Global Fund providing anti-malarial drugs which is still not enough for the entire state.”
John Akol also raised the alarm about a separate health crisis: cases of anthrax in Gogrial West County. He fervently cautioned against consuming deceased animals, elucidating that these cases have persisted since 2020, predominantly attributed to the migration of cattle to Western Bahr el Ghazal State. He mentioned that efforts to counteract the spread of Anthrax were being undertaken through a comprehensive one-health approach.
Anthrax is a bacterial disease that primarily affects animals, but can be transmitted to humans through consumption of infected meat, or contact with an infected carcass.
Dr. William Akot, the Gogrial West County health director, affirmed the veracity of the measles cases, elucidating, “There are cases of measles in the transit camp in Kuajok; about ten samples were confirmed by the national laboratory, and we vaccinated 114 returnees since they arrived. Some of them were integrated into the community without taking doses, like those coming through Northern Bahr el Ghazal state route; they were just registered and integrated without coming to Kuajok town.”
Meanwhile, Amos Yak, the Twic County director for health, disclosed their own pressing health challenges. He shared, “The health situation in Twic County is calm. No more threats, but we experienced some cases of measles. Last week we took samples to Juba for testing. There is an outbreak of measles, but the influx of returnees is huge. We received 2,506 returnees and we expect over 1000 more. So measles cases are many and malnutrition issues too.”