Measles outbreaks in parts of Somalia
At least forty people were hospitalized after measles outbreak in Kulbiyow locality of Lower Juba region.
Official for Kulbiyow Locality Mohamed Muhumed Ismail said the health status of the hospitalized people is poor adding that more others might reach the health centers as the outbreak is spreading rapidly.
The administrator also said that the outbreak of measles in the locality is worsened by acute water shortage that has seriously affected the locals particularly the hospitalized patients hence at the risk of contracting other diseases.
“ The local people are faced with many problems posed by outbreak of measles and acute shortage of clean water” the administrator said.
He sent appeal to Interim Juba administration in Southern Somalia and federal government to deliver immediate support to the affected people.
One of the health officials in the locality said the measles outbreak comes a time when there are limited drugs in the health centers to treat the increasing number of patients affected by measles.
Last week, the administration of Kismayo general hospital has warned of immediate closure of the hospital due to lack of doctors and acute shortage of drugs.
Cases of measles in Middle Shabelle region
There have been reports of measles outbreak in many parts of Middle Shabelle region including its provincial capital, jowhar according to health officials in the region.
Dr. Abdiaziz Ibrahim, one of the doctors in Jowhar district hospital said that there have a number of children suffering from measles who had been admitted to the hospital for treatments.
He urged parents in the region to take their children to hospitals and medical facilities to have them vaccinated to prevent the spread of the measles outbreak in the area.
He said children between the ages of one and three are the most affected and the most vulnerable adding that there have some patients who lost their eyesight to the virus.
