Sleeping Sickness has been a major public health problem in South Sudan for the last century and now is spreading fast in Yei.
Director for Endemic Tropical Disease Control in Ministry of Health Mounir Christo Lado told CRN today that Yei County has more Sleeping Sickness cases than any other treatment facilities.He said the ministry had assigned two international partners to assist in the control of Sleeping Sickness.
MSF International Mobile team was in South Sudan last February to do an assessment study; it will return in July for active screening and treatment.
DNDi, the Drug for Neglected Disease Initiative, on Saturday will go to Yei to do an active screening for two week.
WHO, the World Health Organisation, together with the national ministry of health, started today a two-day annual meeting to review Sleeping Sickness in South Sudan.
WHO team leader for communicable diseases and surveillance in South Sudan, Abdinasir Abubakar, said the review meeting aims to find out and discuss the situation of Sleeping Sickness and find ways to treat, control and prevent the epidemic.
The UN agency is providing technical assistance, and free drugs, surveillance and training for health care workers.
Dr Christo said the national ministry of health brought all the partners together to review the new changes in the diagnosis of Sleeping Sickness to incorporate them in the guidelines.
He said the international teams will use new drugs in Yei that were already tested in DR Congo.