Khartoum — The East Nile Emergency Chamber reported the deaths of six people and confirmed at least 32 cases of dengue fever in the Soba East area of Khartoum, today. The fatalities include three children, a woman, and two men.

According to the medical office, the cases were recorded in the neighbourhoods of El Shagila, El Salma, and El Tuwairab.

Lina Lotfi, the coordinator of the East Nile Emergency Chamber, told Radio Dabanga that some of the fatalities had reached the bleeding stage, the most severe phase of dengue fever. She described the health situation in the region as dire, making it difficult to combat the spread of the virus.

Lotfi warned that a number of autumn diseases, including malaria, diarrhoea, typhoid, urinary infections, and anaemia, have also spread across the area, affecting people of all ages.

'Catastrophic situation'

She particularly highlighted the rising levels of malnutrition among children, emphasising that the "health situation is catastrophic in the East Nile," where many residents rely on untreated water directly sourced from the Nile. The medical office is grappling with a severe shortage of resources for diagnosing the disease, alongside a scarcity of treatment supplies.

Lotfi pointed out that there are no dedicated treatment units in the affected areas, and hospitals are facing an acute lack of equipment and medication. In light of the deteriorating environmental conditions during the autumn season, which favours the spread of disease vectors, Lotfi stressed that prevention is the only immediate solution.

She states that the emergency chamber is facing challenges in organising environmental sanitation campaigns due to limited support for the health sector.

Efforts are underway to raise awareness among local residents about dengue fever, including how to recognise symptoms, how the disease spreads, and preventive measures to take.