Hundreds dead from dengue fever in war-torn Sudan: medics

PORT SUDAN, Sudan: Outbreaks of dengue fever and acute watery diarrhoea have “killed hundreds” in war-torn Sudan, medics reported on Monday, warning of “catastrophic spreads” that could overwhelm the country´s decimated health system.

In a statement, the Sudanese doctors´ union warned that the health situation in the southeastern state of Gedaref, on the border with Ethiopia, “is deteriorating at a horrific rate”, with thousands infected with dengue fever.

Though Gedaref has been spared the direct effects of the brutal war between the regular army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, it has nonetheless been impacted by mass displacement and other humanitarian crises.

Over five months into the war, 80 percent of the country´s hospitals are out of service, according to the United Nations. Even before the war, Sudan´s fragile healthcare system struggled to contain the annual disease outbreaks that accompany the country´s rainy season starting in June, including malaria -- endemic in Sudan -- and dengue fever.

This year, with Gedaref hosting over 250,000 internally displaced persons according to the UN, the situation is much worse.