Sudan’s tropical disease spike reflects poor health system

By MOHANED AWAD and JACK JEFFERY
Associated Press

EL OBEID, Sudan (AP) — A surge in mosquito-borne diseases in recent months has shown the fragility of Sudan’s health system and bodes ill for coming challenges, especially after the African country’s 2021 military coup. Dengue fever, a potentially dangerous mosquito-borne viral disease that can cause severe bleeding and even death, took hold in more than half of the country’s provinces. According to official figures, it infected thousands and killed 36 people. But with limited testing available, the real toll could be much higher. Sudan’s neglected public health sector has long struggled to effectively diagnose or treat patients, due to a lack of funding. Now, political unrest and a spiraling financial crisis mean adequate care is getting more difficult to find.