The authorities in Abyei Special Administrative Area (ASAA) on Tuesday said that cholera cases have surged in the area, with 19 deaths being recorded as of Monday.
According to Abyei Health Minister Dr. Ayom Kurchiek, 913 people have been hospitalized in three health facilities in Amiet, Dufora, and Goli. He said that at least 93 patients who recovered have since been discharged.
“The cases of cholera have been increasing in the three months since we declared the outbreak of cholera. We have recorded 986 cases and 19 deaths,” he disclosed. “On Monday, we unfortunately recorded 9 death cases. 913 people are still under medical attention, while those who recovered were discharged.”
Dr. Kurchiek added that the cholera-related deaths might be higher because those dying in remote areas outside towns are not documented.
He stated that the most severely affected areas, with a high number of cases, are Amiet, Dufora, and Goli, primarily due to high population density. Additionally, more than six cases were reported in the Aneet area, particularly in Agok and Abyei towns.
“We have assessed Abyei Town with our partners like Save the Children, GOAL, and MSF, so we developed a plan to construct temporary public toilets for the community to reduce the spread of infections because people defecate openly,” he said. “The same plan will be done in Amiet Market. We also need to have risk factors control like general cleaning, awareness creation, and use of aquatic tablets and oral rehydration solution (ORS) to mitigate the spread of cholera.”
The minister announced that the budget to purchase cholera vaccines has been approved by the national health ministry and that a vaccination campaign will start next week in Abyei.
Meanwhile, the paramount chief of the Ngok Dinka of Abyei, Sultan Bulabek Deng Kuol, said the disease has been spreading fast because of the rapidly rising population.
“Cholera is present in the towns in Abyei Administrative Area because the area is highly populated due to the influx of returnees, refugees, the host community, and people from neighboring states,” he explained. “However, the health ministry and organizations working in Abyei are working hard to arrest and contain the situation.