Hospitals face medical shortages amid Diarrhea outbreak in Sakow and Jilib

Hospitals in Jilib and Sakow town have been hit by a shortage of drugs following the outbreak of diarrheal disease in the two towns.

The two towns are controlled by Al-Shabaab fighters who banned NGOs from their areas some years back.

Saakow district commissioner, Mohamed Haji Hussein who lives in the outskirt of the town since Al-Shabaab took control of the town told Goobjoog news that the town is no longer able to handle the situation as the hospitals face medical shortage.

“Hospitals are experiencing shortages of medicines yet they need to distribute drugs to deal with outbreak of diarrhoea,” said Hussein.

He added “At least three children dead in Sakow hospital following disease outbreaks as a result of the medical shortage,” he said.

Last week five children died while several others were affected by an outbreak of acute watery diarrhea in Saakow town.

“So far more than 50 deaths have been reported in the past three weeks in the town,” a medical inspector, who declined to reveal his name, said.

The outbreak was reported in the remote villages of the town.

“The biggest problem is the inadequate water supply,” the officer said, as was the lack of basic hygiene. The outbreak had also affected local residents in the town, whose population are mainly nomads.