A New War in Al-Jazeera: The Dengue, Malaria, and Cholera Triple Threat

Sudan Events – Agencies

As the people of Al-Jazeera State grapple with a surge in diseases—chief among them dengue fever, malaria, and cholera—reports of hepatitis C infections are also rising, with daily accounts of growing case numbers. Locals have adopted a grim humor to cope: it is not uncommon to hear someone telling another over the phone, “So-and-so has been hit by a drone,” referring metaphorically to infection by one of these widespread diseases, likening disease vectors to drones that marked their memories during years of conflict.

A surveillance and information report issued Tuesday by the Federal Emergency Operations Center recorded 3,676 dengue cases across seven states, with Khartoum accounting for the highest rate at 80%, followed by Al-Jazeera at 11.8%. Hepatitis C infections totaled 59 cases, including five deaths—all in Al-Jazeera.

A joint meeting on Tuesday between the Al-Jazeera State Ministry of Health, health sector organizations, and the WHO support team called for a stable supply of medication to treat dengue and malaria cases. The meeting also emphasized activating zero-reporting protocols—reporting suspected or confirmed cases—at health centers supported by aid organizations. Volunteers were to receive training to enhance early detection of dengue cases, raise health awareness, and participate in rapid response interventions.

Critical Situation

The Emergency Room of Al-Mahareeba Administrative Unit in Al-Hassahisa locality reported a highly critical health situation due to the rapid spread of dengue in the area. By Sunday, September 21, 117 confirmed cases had been recorded amid limited medical and environmental resources. The emergency room urged government health authorities, humanitarian organizations, and civil society groups to intervene urgently, providing medical supplies and personnel, conducting environmental spraying campaigns to control mosquito vectors, and educating citizens on preventive measures.

A member of the Al-Mahareeba Emergency Room, who requested anonymity, told Ater that hospital visits have risen “alarmingly,” with an average of 13 dengue cases daily at the main hospital. About 45% of daily visits are confirmed dengue cases, alongside widespread malaria, though to a lesser extent. The member highlighted a critical shortage of medicine, available in only one of about twelve local pharmacies, with supplies rapidly dwindling. Paracetamol tablets (“Darb Pandol”) were sold at 4,500 SDG per blister before running out, with prices expected to spike further in the coming days.

Youth initiatives and the local emergency room have been actively draining stagnant water, funded by donations from local citizens at home and abroad to purchase insecticides. The emergency room intends to acquire fogging machines, relying on self-help measures in the absence of government support, saying: “We have seen nothing from the government so far, so we rely on ourselves to prevent our people from dying before our eyes.”

In Al-Kamleen locality, neighboring Khartoum State, an emergency room member reported that two out of every three people are infected with dengue, describing the situation as severe amid insufficient local authority attention. No household remains untouched, with paracetamol blisters selling for up to 30,000 SDG in some areas.

Az-Zein Ahmed Al-Sharif, a resident of Al-Ti village in northern Al-Kamleen, told Ater that in any family of seven, four are already infected, with the remaining three awaiting their turn. The cost of treating one person exceeds 100,000 SDG, and some medications, particularly IV solutions, are running low. At Kab Al-Jedad Hospital in western Al-Kamleen, patients face dire conditions, lying on the floor or rickety beds without access to treatment. The hospital administration prohibits photography and restricts doctors and nurses from sharing data on infection rates.

In Al-Mai’liq Administrative Unit, a community-driven campaign was launched to collect donations from locals at home and abroad to address critical shortages in disease vector control equipment. A medical director at a hospital in Al-Manaqil locality described the situation as catastrophic, with 30–40 patients daily, 70% suspected or confirmed dengue cases. He noted that while rainy seasons historically see higher infection rates, this year has been the worst in his nearly 20 years working in Al-Jazeera hospitals. A random survey indicated that 80% of residents in central Al-Manaqil exhibit symptoms of the dengue, malaria, and cholera triple threat.

Parallel Market Boom

Amid rising infection rates, medicine prices in pharmacies have skyrocketed. An insider in the Al-Jazeera Ministry of Health told Ater that a batch of IV solutions and paracetamol blisters supplied free by the WHO had been diverted to the parallel market, selling for 7,000–10,000 SDG. Internal calls for an urgent investigation have been made.

Federal Health Minister Dr. Haitham Mohammed Ibrahim asserted there is no nationwide medication gap, highlighting the availability of IV solutions and paracetamol in hospitals, with 300,000 blisters expected to curb the parallel market and speculation.

Pharmacist N.A. in Al-Kamleen warned that if the situation persists, a catastrophe will hit her area, citing medicine shortages and profiteering.

A mother in Abu Ashar market recounted searching four days for paracetamol for her dengue-stricken children, paying 21,000 SDG via a middleman. The cost of treating two children exceeded 530,000 SDG, and she said: “Without my brother abroad, I could not have treated them.”

Another resident of Al-Ti, S.M., reported buying paracetamol at 10,000 SDG, up from 3,500 SDG pre-crisis, revealing that some hospital supplies are being resold at exorbitant prices.

In Al-Mahareeba market, a local vendor sells medications and painkillers on worn sacks, shouting: “Grab your medicine, cheapest in the market!” Locals say these supplies originated from Rapid Support Forces-controlled warehouses in Tambul, Al-Jazeera, and were later trafficked to meet urgent demand amid the disease outbreak.

Source: Ater