Woman sits next to her daughter being treated for measles at UNICEF-funded health facility in Maban/Photo by Baria Johnson.

A medical doctor at a UNICEF-funded health facility in Maban County of Upper Nile State said the personnel have treated close to 300 cases of measles in the past three months.

Dr. Ochongodok John said only one patient succumbed to the illness.

In May, the UN children’s Agency initiated an Immunization program at Doro Primary Health Center to provide health services to thousands of refugees and host communities.

According to Dr. Ochongodok, the facility started registering the measles outbreak in June this year with the majority of cases among Sudanese refugees who fled the Sudan conflict.

“… the cases started this year in June, so since 10^th June, the cases started increasing and more affected are the refugees with few numbers of the host communities, he narrated the situation to Eye Radio.

“Until October, the cases started reducing and today there are only two cases left here in the Isolation ward.”

“The 300 cases were from June to early November with 80% refugees and 20% hosts communities.”

Dr. Ochongodok John went on to say the majority of those who were treated for the illness at the facility were expectant mothers.

“We have discharged them except we only lost one and then we referred five cases to a higher center is the county hospital.”

Currently, some patients are still being treated for the killer disease.  A mother of four who preferred to be identified only as Keraba says her 10-year-old daughter has been diagnosed with the measles disease.

“Skin rashes appeared on the body and she began coughing, when she developed a fever four days ago the area we are living in has a stream, so there was no way for us to cross. So we had to wait for the stream to subside  to come here for medication.”

Doro Primary Health Center currently provides health services to up to 84,000 population comprising refugees and host communities.

The UNICEF Supported Immunization facility is part of a health project funded by the World Bank in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Relief International.