BULLETIN HIGHLIGHTS
Suspected cholera cases continue to be reported from Hoosingo village in Badade district (Lower Jubba). Between 5 and 13 September 2012, 107 suspected cholera cases and 12 deaths have been reported. The majority of the cases are children above the age of five. The village is not served by any health facility, however, WHO, UNICEF, health partners, the community and local authorities have concerted resources to ensure availability of adequate supplies on ground.
IN FOCUS STORY:
Lifting the stigma of leprosy Fifty-five years old Omar Mayo, who currently lives in Faragurow village, Jilib district (Middle Juba region) left Lower Shabelle Region about 30 years ago. Some time ago he was diagnosed with leprosy.
Today, Omar is one of the leprosy patients in Faragurow Hospital where he receives a medical treatment through a multidrug therapy.
Every day more than 70 patients come to the hospital for new wound dressing. The stigma surrounding the disease remains hard to dispel, and results in discriminatory attitudes and practices that continue to blight the lives of Somali’s with leprosy, including Omar.
Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae, an acid-fast, rod-shaped bacillus. The disease mainly affects the skin, the peripheral nerves, mucosa of the upper respiratory tract and also the eyes. Once a person is infected, the bacterium grows very slowly and begins to multiply within the body. Leprosy is curable and treatment provided in the early stages averts disability.
According to official reports received from 105 countries and territories, the global registered prevalence of leprosy at the beginning of 2012 stood at 181 941 cases. In Somalia, leprosy continues to be a public health concern, where it has afflicted the local population for decades, leaving behind a terrifying image of mutilation, rejection and exclusion from society. Until recently, most of the Somalis regarded leprosy as a contagious, mutilating, incurable disease. In 2011, 255 new cases were detected. Of these 218 cases were Multibacillary (MB) stages. A total of 49% of the detected cases were female, whereas 24% were children below 15 years of age. Up-to-date statistics on the disease in Somalia are not available.
The Somalia emergency weekly health update aims to provide an overview of the health activities conducted by WHO and health partners in Somalia. It compiles health information including nine health events (epidemiological surveillance) reported in Somalia, information on ongoing conflicts in some regions of Somalia and health responses from partners.
For further information please contact: Pieter Desloovere – WHO Communications Officer - deslooverep@nbo.emro.who.int - T: +254 733 410 984