Nyarugusu (Tanzania): the chickenpox epidemic declared

The most affected refugees by the disease are particularly children aged between 4 months and 9 years. The medical services of the Nyarugusu camp in Tanzania have been mobilized to eradicate this disease which is more contagious. INFO SOS Médias Burundi

The first cases appeared late in September at the Nyarugu camp in Tanzania. Parents seemed to overlook its magnitude.

“First I noticed small balls on my child’s bottom. Since I already know it’s chickenpox, I overlooked it. But afterwards, his older brother was also infected and we went to the hospital where we found several other children suffering from the same disease, ”explains a mother from zone 8.

A month later the medical services declare it an epidemic because it has already attacked several villages and areas of the camp.

“At least ten villages are affected. We recommend parents to quickly go to the hospital as soon as the first signs appear to thwart its spread. Otherwise, a whole family can be infected by the disease from a single case. And then, chickenpox can develop other skin infections because it causes burns, body temperature rises and fever is the cause of it,” explain nurses in Nyarugusu.

This chicken pox epidemic is also present in the Congolese part of the Nyarugusa camp and there too, the health centers are overwhelmed according to health services.

Health care providers reassure the refugees.

“This disease does not usually kill but rather weakens the human body of infected children.”

The nurses also explain that once the disease is cured, it never comes back for a second time in life.

Several dermatological drugs are made available to refugee families. However, they are beginning to notice their deficiency and plead for a new supply of stocks.

According to the WHO, people are more than 90% immune to chickenpox by the age of 10.

The Nyarugusu camp has more than 120,000 refugees, including nearly 50,000 Burundians. Half of them are children and young people under the age of 15.