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Sudan Tribune

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Acute diarrhea cases down in Jonglei’s Duk county

April 17, 2015 (BOR) – Jonglei state’s Duk county has reported a decrease in the number of acute diarrhea and malaria cases.

A woman's child receives treatment under a tree by SMC staff in Duk county's Poktap on 20 February 2015 (ST)
A woman’s child receives treatment under a tree by SMC staff in Duk county’s Poktap on 20 February 2015 (ST)
Deng John Machok, who works as field supervisor for Sudan Medical Care (SMC) said the situation was now under control thanks to a campaign aimed at improving hygiene and sanitary conditions.

The campaign targeted camps for internally displaced people and Ayueldit villages, Machok told Sudan Tribune by phone from Twic East on Monday.

About 150 children up to the age of five have been treated for acute watery diarrhea between February and April, with 189 also treated for malaria during the same period. Respiratory trachea infection is also common.

SMC runs one primary health care centre (PHCC) headed by a clinical officer in Poktap and another primary health care unit (PHCU) headed by a community health worker in Ayueldit.

Both clinics have been operating either in the open under trees or in tents divided into small wards used to admit people who needed closer since February.

“The ward in tents is available, but no beds and its capacity is small,” Machok said, adding that medicines used to treat the condition are also out of stock.

Acute watery diarrhea is caused by poor hygiene and sanitation conditions and is fatal if not treated in time.

Children quickly become dehydrated and will also suffer complications such as fever, coughing if left untreated.

Improving hygiene and sanitation standards in the communities is the only means to reduce the number of cases of acute diarrhea and other related infections.

As part of the campaign, medical staff provided health education on topics such as eating food in a clean environment, washing hands with ash or soap after using the toilet, drinking water from the boreholes and properly disposing of waste.

Following the outbreak of violence across the country in mid-December 2013, Duk suffered major destruction by rebels forces in South Sudan and insecurity remains an ongoing challenge.

Eleven PHCUs and two PHCCs were destroyed by the rebels in Duk last year.

(ST)

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