Description of the situation
28 April 1999
Disease Outbreak Reported
The outbreak of meningococcal meningitis that started in Northern Darfur State in early December 1998 has spread to 18 out of 26 states. From the beginning of the epidemic up to 22 April more than 16,000 cases, of which nearly 1,000 died, have been notified. The epidemic is expected to last until the end of June-July, depending on the geographical location of the states affected.
Since the start of the epidemic 7,6 million people have been vaccinated. The vaccination campaigns, as well as other epidemic control measures are being implemented through a national task force chaired by the Federal Ministry of Health. This task force includes the members of the International Coordinating Group on Vaccine Provision for Epidemic Meningitis Control (ICG), namely the IFRC, MSF, UNICEF and WHO.
Current work includes strengthening of the surveillance system and training for health care and laboratory workers in order to improve the detection and management of cases. Health education messages have also been widely distributed.
The task force estimated that a further 4,5 million people need to be vaccinated during the next three weeks and stressed the need for availability of medicines for treatment of the patients at peripheral health centres. The ICG is requesting an additional US$ 2.1 million from the international community with a view to meeting these needs immediately.
For further details please contact IFRC (Dr. Sandblad, phone: 41 22 730 44 07, e-mail: sandbladh@ifrc.org), MSF (Dr. Varaine, phone: 33 1 40 21 29 35, e-mail: FrancisVaraine@paris.msf.org), UNICEF (Dr. S. Goings, phone: 234 1 269 02 76(280), e-mail: sgoings@unicef.org), WHO (Dr. Santamaria, phone: 41 22 7912725, e-mail:. Santamariam@who.ch)