Twenty-six refugees in a camp in Uganda after fleeing violence in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) died of acute diarrhea in four days in February, the UN High Commission announced on Thursday refugees (UNHCR).
“We have not received confirmation of cholera cases from the (Ugandan) Ministry of Health. However, in the vicinity (camp) of Kyangwali (west), our health partners identified and treated 424 cases of acute diarrhea, “said Duniya Aslam Khan, a UNHCR spokesperson in Uganda.
“The number of deaths caused by acute diarrhea is 26 over the period from 15 to 18 February,” she added, in an e-mailed response. “All cases reported and all victims are newly arrived Congolese refugees. arrived, “she said.
” We are strengthening our presence by deploying new human resources and sending reinforcements to our health centers in Sebagoro and Kyangwali camps ,” near Lake Albert, a DRC border crossing in western Uganda. The spokeswoman added.
Since 1 January, 27,300 Congolese have crossed Lake Albert to seek refuge in Uganda, according to UNHCR. These newcomers to Uganda are fleeing the December uprising of inter-communal violence in Ituri province in the DRC.
Refugees travel on small boats or fishing boats and arrive after 10 hours of crossing to Sebagoro, a village 270 kilometers northwest of Kampala, the Ugandan capital.
Violence in Ituri has displaced around 200,000 people since mid-December, according to humanitarian sources.
This is one of the many conflicts tearing down eastern DRC. Since the beginning of the year, 15,400 people from North Kivu have also fled to Uganda, by land, to reach Kisoro (southwest).
