Tackling yellow fever in Sudan

Merlin is helping to vaccinate over three million people in the Darfur region of Sudan which has been affected by the mosquito-spread disease yellow fever since September 2012.

Sadly, this deadly disease has already taken the lives of 171 people and there are also 849 suspected cases. It has spread through 35 out of 64 localities in Darfur.

There is no cure for yellow fever. Most commonly, people with the disease suffer from fever, bleeding and jaundice. In an epidemic according to World Health Organisation (WHO) mortality can be over 50 per cent.

When there is an outbreak of disease, people’s lives are at serious risk. In countries like Sudan, which has gone through intense conflict since 2003 and has weak health care systems, stopping the disease from spreading can be an even a bigger challenge than usual.

The Merlin team has taken action fast. We are saving lives and containing the outbreak with an emergency mass vaccination program.

We are also working to protect people from mosquitoes by providing treated nets, training community health workers, educating communities about the risks and enhancing prevention measures.

As we continue to bring life-saving health care to people in Sudan who may not have otherwise received it, we still urgently need your help to carry on doing this. Please donate today.

Merlin has been making a difference in Sudan since 2003 providing health services to the Sudanese people through years of war. We currently run 35 clinics in South, East and West Darfur which serve approximately 580,000 people.