Health official warns of dengue outbreak in Hadramout

Dengue fever disease could turn into an epidemic next year if there is no action taken to contain its spread, warned Dr.Alabed Bamousa, head of Hadramout’s Public Health Ministry office

“The fever claimed  the lives of 12 people and approximately 1200 are infected by the disease. The number of the cases has decreased considerably in the last three weeks and could strike the governorate hard next year” he said.

Dr.Bamousa revealed that field doctors discovered symptoms of another infectious diseases like rift valley fever and Japanese fever.

He said that a group of Saudi philanthropists brought PCR, that will enable health professions to detect the virus early. A group of lab technicians from the Central Laboratory in Mukalla travelled to Saudi Arabia to take a course for a week on the usage of the new machine.

Dr.Bamousa added that the same Saudi businessmen allocated a budget estimated $2m for a continuous campaign for fighting the disease. The cash will be used for buying insecticide and funding a massive awareness campaign against the disease in various parts of the governorate.

“The next step will be to comb the houses looking for uncovered cisterns and spraying insecticide and launching an awareness campaign targeting all citizens in Hadramout to apprise them of this disease. We will carry out an intensive inspection campaign in schools, houses, mosques and other breeding grounds of the disease.”

According to the health official, stagnant water, condition water and  garages wastes are blamed for the spread of the disease in the coastal areas of Hadramout.

Following the detection of the early cases, a health committee was formed from local health professions to find a way of fighting the spread. The committee asked for help from Saudi medics. A Saudi medical delegation visited the governorate last month and gave its assessment to the local abilities.” we have seen insufficiency  in the insecticide and machines that examine the amount of insects.” one of the Saudi doctors said.

Recommendations from the visitors helped facilitate the acquisition of PCR machine ,establishing a website containing all information about  the disease and a hotline.

Run by skillful doctors, 20 training courses on fighting dengue fever  were  launched in Hadramout. The courses   targeted healthcare in the governorate. The participants would be given practical lessons in W.H.O. diagnosis  and treatment techniques  of the fever. The opening course was held in Mukalla MCH hospital on July 13 where 55 doctors, nurses and technicians attended. The course will last until the 28th of July.

Awan Foundation for Development is a key NGO player that actively contributed to the development of health sectors in the governorate.  Dr.Adel Bahamed ,executive manager of the foundation, said that  Dengue Fighting Campaign comes in the framework of the partnership between health office and the foundation.”When the early cases of the disease were recorded in the governorate, we made use of records from the Saudi epidemic in 2003.” In Hadramout, most of the victims are young people. Students at the Health Institute in Mukalla were shocked at the news of the death of their colleague, Nathra, who was due to be a midwife. The 23 years old was taken to Ibn Cina Hospital where she went into a coma and died afterwards leaving behind a boy,6,and a girl 4.

Sadly narrating the story of the death of his daughter, Nabiel Bin Al-Sheikh Bubaker told the Observer that his daughter, Fatima, entered Ibn Cina hospital on foot and after days of treatment she was stretchered off to be buried in peace. “she was suffering from dengue fever. In the first two day, her health was stable and then deteriorated sharply with chronic diarrhea and then unconscious.”

He thinks that his daughter is not only a victim of dengue fever but also the the carelessness on the part of the hospital «My daughter was a victim of negligence  in the hospital. Whenever there is a serious case, the nurses call the doctors and get the instructions by telephone. There must be specialists available on call throughout the day «

* Albatati88@gmailcom

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