There have been nearly 1000 recorded cases of kala-azar disease in South Sudan so far in 2015, an increase of 36% from the same period in 2014, according to World Health Organization (WHO) figures.
In the 2015 reporting period between 5 January and 15 February, WHO recorded 991 cases of kala-azar in South Sudan compared to 728 in the first seven weeks of last year.
WHO said there have been 24 deaths from kala-azar this year, nine more than in 2014 during the same time frame. There were 72 cases and two deaths recorded last week, according to the UN’s Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
“The increase is attributed to the displacement of non-immune populations to endemic areas, poor nutrition or malnutrition among internally displaced persons, poor housing, and inaccessibility to health facilities due to insecurity or floods,” said WHO spokesperson Matilda Moyo in an emailed response to questions from Radio Tamazuj.
“The majority of cases are from Lankien, Nyirol County in Jonglei State, which accounts for 414 cases, followed by Ulang County in Upper Nile State, a new location that started late last year with 210 cases, and Chuil with 66 cases,” Moyo said.
“Lankien also accounts for 13 (54%) of the 24 deaths reported this year, while the rest are distributed among other locations.”
Moyo noted that the number of kala-azar treatment centers in South Sudan has increased by one since last year, from 15 to 16, and that healthworkers are being trained to treat kala-azar.
The first training took place in Juba from 12 to 15 January and the second in Kapoeta South from 10 to 14 February.
Kala-azar, also known as Visceral Leishmaniasis, is transmitted by the bite of the sand fly. Without treatment, it can be fatal within weeks.
File photo (MSF)
Related:
Factbox: Kala-azar disease in South Sudan