Communication outage hampers disease monitoring in Sudan

February 27, 2024 (PORT SUDAN) – The Sudanese Ministry of Health expressed concern about potential disease outbreaks due to a recent communications outage that significantly hindered reporting from several states.

The disruption, initiated on February 7th, reportedly stemmed from orders the Rapid Support Forces issued. While Sudani Company managed to restore services in five states within a week, 12 states remained completely disconnected, impacting disease reporting.

On Tuesday, the Emergency Operations Center of the Ministry of Health convened in Kassala, eastern Sudan, to discuss available epidemiological reports.

“The communication outage resulted in only six states reporting epidemic diseases,” stated Mohamed Mahmoud, Director of Health Emergencies and Epidemic Control. “This necessitates exploring alternative methods to monitor health conditions and prevent potential outbreaks.”

Mahmoud emphasized that current data indicated low infection rates and no recent epidemic-related deaths.

Sudan has recently faced multiple epidemics, particularly cholera and dengue fever, further straining the war-weakened healthcare system.

The meeting focused on supporting efforts to combat these diseases in war-affected states like Darfur and Kordofan. Mahmoud announced the formation of a dedicated task force within the Ministry of Health to ensure continued monitoring and response in these areas.

He further disclosed the establishment of a committee within the Ministry to maintain healthcare services in Gezira State while acknowledging the importance of continued private sector involvement.

According to Mahmoud, the meeting aimed to ensure the ongoing development of an early response plan for upcoming seasonal emergencies alongside intensified efforts in areas currently battling epidemics.

Sudan typically experiences an increase in diseases, like malaria and watery diarrhoea, during the fall season. The Ministry of Health continues to fight these challenges despite facing longstanding limitations in government funding.

(ST)