Nduta (Tanzania) : more than 22,000 refugees infected with malaria in less than three months

In the Nduta refugee camp in Tanzania, between 70 and 80% of patients going to health facilities were diagnosed with symptoms of malaria between July and September. MSF (Médecins Sans Frontières) and IRC (International Rescue Committee), the two NGOs which take care of the health aspect, speak of an epidemic. Refugees are demanding insecticide-treated mosquito nets. INFO SOS Médias Burundi

The figures are very alarming in health centers in Nduta camp in Tanzania.

“Until last September, more than 22,000 malaria patients were received. They represent 1/3 of the entire camp population, which means that malaria is becoming an epidemic that attracts the attention of all partners here”, explains a health humanitarian agent from the said camp.

According to the same source, almost all hospitals and health centers are overwhelmed. The most affected areas are Zone 1, 12 and 13 because they are generally overcrowded.

“Between 70 and 80% of patients seen in five health posts all suffer from malaria. The most vulnerable are children, pregnant women and the elderly. A patient can go twice a month for the same disease that is malaria”, emphasize medical volunteers.

A situation linked to precarious living conditions.

The main causes remain “structural and linked to malnutrition”.

“With the transition of NGOs into the health component, MSF is no longer present in health centers and currently intervened to strengthen the IRC teams and limit the damage. Then IRC removed the community awareness system. “And then the stock of medicines frequently runs out, which means that a patient may not complete their treatment. Finally, hunger is in full swing here”, community leaders said indignantly.

Refugees have been asking for insecticide-treated mosquito nets since last July because the last distribution dates back to 2018.

“The MSF NGO has just started its census to know the number of people per house to finally give mosquito nets, and will then follow the spraying of places and houses”, we learn.

But, the refugees do not see any rigor in it because, “there is no need to do this census because they are wasting time while the UNHCR has all these data”.

They suspect a misunderstanding between humanitarian workers and the Tanzanian government “which allegedly refused to authorize the procurement of mosquito nets to force the refugees to return home supposedly that it is where they will have all the kit”. refugees point out.

Humanitarians and refugees at the Nduta camp are asking the Ministry of the Interior in charge of refugees to ease measures when it comes to priority areas such as health.

The Nduta camp shelters more than 70,000 Burundians.