Metro

Over 500 Sudanese children have died of hunger in three months —Report

Published

1 year ago

August 23, 2023

International children charity, Save the Children Foundation, says no fewer than 500 children have died from hunger in Sudan since fighting erupted in the country on April 15, between the army loyal to Gen. Abdel-Fattah Al-Burhan and the Rapid Support Force led by Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo.

The charity, in a report on Tuesday, said the dead children included two dozen babies in a government-run orphanage in the capital of Khartoum, while at least 31,000 children lack access to treatment for malnutrition and related illnesses since the charity was forced to close 57 of its nutrition centres in Sudan.

“Never did we think we would see children dying from hunger in such numbers, but this is now the reality in Sudan. We are seeing children dying from entirely preventable hunger,” Arif Noor, Save the Children’s Director for Sudan, said in the report.

Save the Children said that between May and July, at least 316 children, mostly younger than five years of age, died of malnutrition or associated illnesses in the southern While Nile province.

“More than 2,400 children have been admitted to hospitals in the past eight months with severe acute malnutrition the deadliest form of malnutrition,” the report stated.

“In the eastern Qadarif province, at least 132 children died from malnutrition in the government-run Children’s Hospital between April and July.

“And at least 50 children, including two dozen babies, died of starvation or related illnesses in an orphanage in Khartoum in the first six weeks of the conflict as the fighting prevented Save the Children staff from accessing the building to care for them”, it added.

The charity also warned that special food supplies for treating malnutrition were running critically low at 108 facilities.

It also revealed that it still operates across Sudan since the country was plunged into chaos after months of tensions between the military and a rival paramilitary force exploded into open fighting.

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Metro

Zambia reports ‘unclear variation’ of Mpox case

Published

4 hours ago

October 11, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

The first case of Mpox was reported in Zambia on Thursday, although the specific strain detected was not disclosed by the Ministry of Health.

For the second time in two years, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared Mpox a worldwide public health emergency in August when a new strain of the virus spread from the Democratic Republic of the Congo to surrounding African nations.

The new strain of clade 1 b has raised concerns worldwide due to its increased ease of spread through frequent close contact.

The first incidence of mpox in Zambia was found in a 32-year-old Tanzanian resident who entered the country in early September, travelled around southern Africa, and started exhibiting symptoms on October 2 that included sore throat, exhaustion, and muscle aches.

The health ministry stated in a statement that contact tracing was in progress and that there was a “heightened risk of local transmission and potential cross-border spread” due to the patient’s wide travel history and interactions at several places throughout Zambia.

At a rural health centre, the male patient is receiving treatment.

“We have intensified risk communication and community engagement in all the areas that the individual has passed through since he entered Zambia. Our surveillance and response teams across the country remain on high alert for any further cases of Mpox,” the health ministry statement added.

Mumps is normally mild but can be fatal, causing pus-filled lesions and flu-like symptoms.

The Mpox virus can spread from person to person via intimate contact and also from place to person through objects and surfaces that a person infected with Mpox has touched.

Metro

Hardship under Tinubu is fuelling mental health issues, suicide in Nigeria— Peter Obi

Published

6 hours ago

October 11, 2024

Isaac Dachen

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in Nigeria’s 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, has attributed the many cases of suicide and mental health issues in the country to the worsening economic situation under the President Bola Tinubu administration.

The former Governor of Anambra State, who bared his mind while commemorating this year’s World Mental Health Day on Thursday, lamented that many suicide cases in the country today were fuelled by anxiety and depression due to the hardship being experienced by many Nigerians who had lost hope.

In his message, Obi noted that mental health remained one of the critical health issues not given the due attention it deserved in Nigeria.

“Today, I join the Global Community in commemorating World Mental Health Day, on which we raise awareness of mental health issues while encouraging concerted efforts to support those experiencing mental health issues in our nation,” he wrote.

“Though not often well talked about, mental health remains a very critical component of our health sector, which if not given due attention, greatly impacts negatively on our productivity as a nation.

“A healthy nation, they say, is a wealthy nation. I dare say, a mentally healthy nation, is a more productive nation.

“In Nigeria, mental health remains one of the critical health issues not given the due attention it deserves.

“The worsening economic situation resulting from hunger, poverty, and income inequalities in the country, coupled with other socio-political issues affecting the nation, have continued to fuel a growing menace of mental health cases.

“The National Institute of Health reports that about 40 to 60 million Nigerians suffer various forms of mental ailment. This translates to about 1 in every 5 Nigerians, battling with mental health issues.

“Suicide cases in the country, fueled by anxiety and depression, have remained on the increase. It is reported that Nigeria has one of the highest rates of suicide and depression in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The current rate of suicide in Nigeria is 9.50% out of 100,000 people. Drug abuse is also another contributor to mental health decadence in our society.

“Nigeria is also ranked 3rd most stressful country in the world, which contributes to different mental illnesses in the nation.

“The above grim statistics reflect the lack of attention given to mental health, a critical contributor to national development in our society. A nation that truly wants to improve its productive capacity must pay attention to the health of its citizens.”

“We are also reminded as a people to always seek medical attention when faced with any mental health challenge and to show love and support to our people who are already contending with the challenge.

“We remain committed to building a New Nigeria where everyone’s well-being will be prioritized. A New Nigeria is POssible.”