H5N1

Uganda: Looking back at a bad year

Via The Daily Monitor: Disasters in Bunyoro. Bunyoro is a kingdom in western Uganda. Excerpt:

Disease outbreaks and natural disasters tortured Bunyoro in 2012 with several lives and property destroyed as a result. 

Ebola 

In Kibaale District, 20 people were killed following an outbreak of Ebola. The hemorrhagic fever, first reported in Nyanswiga Village, Nyamarunda Sub-county, spread to other sub-counties and sent residents fleeing from the affected areas. 

One of the patients, Hope Nazziwa, fled from the isolation ward at Kagadi Hospital but was traced by the Ebola task-force team and returned to the ward. A nurse at Kagadi Hospital, Claire Muhumuza and her four-months-old baby, Milka Ninsiima, were among those who died of Ebola. 

Medical officials also followed up more than 600 people who got into contact with Ebola patients. 

The government declared the district Ebola- free on October 4, a decision taken 42 days after discharging the last ebola-positive patient from the hospital. 

Cholera 

A few days after containing the deadly Ebola epidemic, cholera broke out in Kibaale District at the landing sites in Ndaiga Sub-county, killing two people and leaving 14 others hospitalised at Kyaterekera Health Centre. The disease had earlier broken out in April and left more than 100 affected. 

Cholera also affected various fishing communities in Kibaale, Hoima and Buliisa districts, with more than 1,000 people infected. In Hoima, 708 cases of cholera were reported on June 8 and 16 people died of the disease. 

In Buliisa District, the disease forced authorities to postpone the opening of the second term by a week to lay strategies for curbing the prevalence of the epidemic. Six deaths and 760 cases were registered.

Sudan: Almalha residents complain about spread of diseases

Via Radio Dabanga: Almalha residents complain about spread of diseases.

The locality of Almalha in North Darfur is suffering from spreading diseases such as ‘kala azar’[visceral leishmaniasis], typhoid, abdominal pains as well as the prevalence of malnutrition, lack of health care services and high prices of medicine. 

Citizens told Radio Dabanga that the region has recently witnessed a spread in ‘kala azar’ disease, especially in the area of ​​Jebel Issa in addition to rising malnutrition and paralysis among children. 

A source stated that diseases such as kidney problems, abdominal pains and typhoid are also spreading and attributed the emergence to water pollution and poor health care services. He added that the rising spread of diseases is also due to the instability of available doctors in locality, as a result of a conflict with the local authorities as well as the high prices of medicine.

Nicaragua: More volcano evacuees

Via El Nuevo Diario: Aumentan evacuados. [Evacuees increase in number] Excerpt, with my translation:

La cantidad de personas en los albergues afectadas por las emanaciones del volcán San Cristóbal aumentó a 507, entre evacuados y autoevacuados, y aunque la actividad del coloso volvió a la normalidad ayer, el mayor Carlos Cáceres, jefe de la Defensa Civil en Chinandega, afirmó que es probable que los desplazados regresen a sus hogares hasta la semana entrante. 

The number of persons who have taken refuge in shelters from the eruptions of San Cristóbal volcano has risen to 507, including evacuees and those who have self-evacuated. And although the volcano's activity returned to normal yesterday, Mayor Carlos Cáceres, head of the Chinandega Civil Defence, confirmed that those displaced will not return home until sometime next week.

Cáceres indicó que la actividad del volcán San Cristóbal aparenta haber vuelto a la normalidad, pero que no se descartan nuevas explosiones. “Está con las emanaciones de toda la vida”, dijo. Pero expresó que la disminución de la actividad no significa que el peligro haya pasado. 

Cáceres said that though the volcano seems to have returned to normal, he can't dismiss the possibility of new eruptions. "It's always been erupting," he said. But he said the reduced activity doesn't mean the danger has passed. 

El jefe de la Defensa Civil en Chinandega indicó que continúan el monitoreo, y sigue el sistema de alerta temprana en varios municipios, porque no pueden confiarse. 

He said San Cristóbal will continue to be monitored, and the early-warning system in several towns is continuing because they can't trust the volcano.

Entre tanto, la gran cantidad de ceniza acumulada en las comunidades aledañas al volcán, está ocasionando serios problemas a los pobladores, porque los animales no pueden alimentarse, y muchos corren peligro de morir.

Meanwhile, the great amount of accumulated ash in communities around the volcano is causing serious problems for residents: their animals can't eat, and many run the risk of dying.

Haiti: With friends like us, who needs enemies?

Via The Guardian, a comment on the impending third anniversary of the earthquake: Disastrous relief for Haiti. Excerpt:

From the start of relief efforts in 2010 there was chaos, with hundreds of aid groups from all over the world flooding in. There had to be dozens of co-ordinating meetings each week, invariably held in English rather than French or Creole, underlining the exclusion of Haitians from the rebuilding of their own country. 

It is hard to ignore the idea that some charities saw the disaster as a chance to raise money; why else did they all need to be there despite the duplication and slap their logos everywhere? The Lancet accused them of jostling for publicity while Médécins sans Frontièrs – which almost uniquely stopped fundraising after a few days, having made enough for its needs – told me charities loved to be in front of cameras to ensure cash flowed in to their accounts. 

This would not be so bad if the money was well spent. Big chunks went on vital and immediate emergency relief to save lives. But substantial sums were blown on botched projects and needless staff costs. 

I visited one place were families were lured to live in wooden sheds on the promise of jobs and decent public services, only to find themselves marooned on rocky land 10 miles from town, unemployed and charged twice the going rate for water. 

The voices of local people were ignored by arrogant outsiders, undermining accountability and sustainable development. As the Centre for Global Development reported this month, only a shameful 0.6% of the money spent by bilateral and multilateral donors was given to Haitian charities and businesses. 

Meanwhile an estimated 40% went on supporting all the foreigners dispensing aid, with their inflated housing allowances, vehicles and drivers. 

When it comes to development aid, the concept of giving cash to people to spend as they see fit is attracting interest. Perhaps it is time to apply similar tactics to disaster relief once the most pressing emergency needs are out of the way. 

In Haiti, people could have been given more than double the average annual income. It is hard to believe they would not have spent the money better than the foreigners who have achieved depressingly little.

Palestine: 9 dead of H1N1 virus over 2 weeks

Via Xinhua: 9 Palestinians died of H1N1 virus over 2 weeks: medics. Excerpt:

Nine Palestinians have died of H1N1 virus in the West Bank over the last two weeks, Palestinian officials confirmed Saturday. 

Asaad Al-Ramlawi, Director of Primary Health Care in the Ministry of Health, told Xinhua that according to the ministry's laboratories "nine Palestinians died, while 189 were diagnosed to suffer the virus." 

"All dead were suffering of chronic illness due to immune deficiency, as the H1N1 virus caused severe pulmonary infections of which they died," said Al-Ramlawi. 

He noted that H1N1 virus was "a seasonal virus" that spread in the West Bank's northern areas and continued spreading across central and southern areas.

Pakistan: 54 kids die of measles in Sindh province

Via Xinhua: 154 kids die of measles in Southern Pakistan. Excerpt:

At least seven children died of measles in Pakistan's southern province of Sindh on Sunday, bringing the death toll to 154 in such incidents over the last 29 days, local media reported. 

Local Urdu TV channel Dunya quoted hospital sources as saying that the disease broke out in the children of two to nine years of age during the last week of October in the Upper Sindh areas which were affected by floods earlier in August and September this year. 

The health officials said that over 1200 measles-affected children have been shifted to various hospitals since November and more such patients are being brought into hospitals and dispensaries. 

Local health officials said that the major reason behind such a massive spread of disease is malnutrition and unhygienic condition in which the affected kids are living. 

Health Secretary Dr. Aftab Ahmed Khatri said that most of the affected children were living together in congested streets and were passing the disease to other children.

India: Here comes hand, foot and mouth disease

Via The Times of India: Virus in the air, but doctors cannot treat this infection. Excerpt:

CHENNAI: It is the season of fever and rashes, and children are the worst-affected, say doctors in the city. Parents are queuing up before the doctor's clinic to rule out that their children who have fever, sore throat and rashes, do not have more serious ailments such as dengue or chicken pox. 

Pediatricians have been having a tough time convincing parents that this is a self-limiting viral disease called the hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD). 

Doctors have been seeing viral infection, which requires no treatment, for the past two years in the city. 

"Many people are not aware of this disease because it was not there in Chennai until some years ago," said pediatrician Dr Deepa Hariharan. 

"My daughter had no fever when I first noticed rashes on her palm and lips. I feared chicken pox," said Maya S, mother of 11-year-old Aradhana Subramani residing in Kilpauk. "Doctor diagnosed it as HFMD. She was fine within a week," said Maya. 

The viral infection is caused by the virus found in the gut. Its symptoms include oral lesions and rashes or blisters on palms and soles. 

"In chicken pox rashes are seen in the trunk and abdomen first. It the spreads to the hands and legs," she said. 

Children, mostly in the age group 3-11, may have loss of appetite and diarrhoea. The only treatment doctors advice is healthy diet with lots of soups and juices. 

There is no count on the number of children infected, but health department officials say they have been receiving complaints about the new virus. 

"It is not serious or life threatening. But we are planning to do studies to understand more about the virus," said King Institute of Preventive Medicine director Dr P Gunasekaran. 

"The problem with this infection is that since it is harmless, people may not even come forward for tests. Sometimes, doctors do not even tell children to skip school if they do not have fever," he said.

Sri Lanka: 220 dengue deaths in 2012

Via The Daily News: Dengue death toll 220 this year. Excerpt:

Dengue claimed 220 lives with nearly 50,000 cases reported this year, a Health Ministry spokesman said yesterday. 

The spokesman said the mosquito density was increasing rapidly due to the current unfavourable weather conditions. He said the number of dengue cases reported from the Western Province decreased compared to the last few months while dengue cases in other provinces increased. 

Around 25 percent out of the total number of deaths are those between the five to 15 age group while the balance 75 percent is in the 15 and 50 and over 50 age groups, the spokesman said. 

According to the Entomology Assistant's Association the mosquito density drastically increased with the rains and floods. 

The mosquito density increased by 50 percent as government institutions had shown little interest in mosquito eradication, the Association said. They said normally the mosquito density should be lower than 50 percent and Sri Lanka's normal rate of mosquito density is only 20 percent. 

"But it increased drastically with the current showers. The mosquito density around houses increased by 15 percent. This can further increase," they said.

India's appalling record on rape needs to change

An editorial in The Star in Toronto, a city with a very large South Asian population: India's appalling record on rape needs to change. After discussing the Nirbhaya case, the editorial continues:

In just the days that followed, a 10-year-old was gang-raped, killed and her body thrown in a canal in another part of India. And a 14-year-old schoolgirl was left in critical condition after being raped by four men. 

On Wednesday a 12-year-old was raped by three men as she walked to her grandparents' house. And on Thursday came news that a 17-year-old girl had committed suicide after police reportedly pressured her to marry one of the men who raped her last month or, at least, accept a financial settlement. 

More than almost anywhere else, violence against women is a brutal fact of life in the Indian subcontinent. According to official figures cited by Agence France Presse, females were victims in almost 230,000 of the more than 256,000 violent crimes reported in India last year. Just as shocking is the willingness of police, judges and government officials to tolerate attacks on women by blaming victims and excusing offenders. 

In the aftermath of the New Delhi bus attack, even as protests raged, it took days for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to go on television and promise reform. Police have been less than sympathetic. Brave demonstrators demanding better protection of women have been forcibly dispersed by officers using batons, tear gas and water cannon. 

And India's Association for Democratic Reforms recently found that more than 30 men charged with rape had been allowed to stand for elected office by various political parties. The think tank relied on court documents and election declarations for that report.

Haiti: 7,844 cholera deaths as of December 17

MSPP has posted new cholera statistics on its Documentation page, covering December 13 through 17. As usual, the first day's numbers include a huge increase in the total case numbers for the first day, which I think is the result of delayed numbers being folded in.

So on December 12 the total case number since October 2010 was 629,300. On December 13, the total cases rose by 1,438 to 630,788 even though the daily cases for that date rose by only 320. Similarly, the daily death tally rose by 15 in these five days but the total deaths rose by 20, to 7,844.

For this period the total cholera cases rose by 2,501 to 631,801 while daily cases rose by 1,383. We can expect a similar jump in the next batch, if only because Grande Anse department did not report at all in this period.

I continue to be amazed that no one, in Haiti or outside, seems remotely interested in these numbers except to grab them, unquestioned, for the next Poor Haiti news story or NGO funding appeal.