Heavy rainfall, coupled with the ongoing conflict, is disrupting clean water supplies. Because of the disruptions, people use water basins to collect rainwater and these uncovered water sources combined with the rain have contributed to the spread of mosquitoes in the affected areas, resulting in an upsurge in suspected dengue cases.

If measures are not urgently put in place to strengthen the health care system so that cases can be detected early, the death total which reached 192 people by the end of 2019, could increase sharply. Cases have been recorded in almost all governorates in Yemen with the most affected being Hodeidah and Aden which recorded more than 60% of the deaths in the country.

Save the Children Hodeidah Field Manager Mariam Aldogani, herself recovering from Dengue fever, said:

“Hodeidah has the second-highest death rate in the country with 62 adult and children deaths in 2019. We have never seen anything like this before. More than 40 of our staff including their families have been affected by the fever. We are getting reports of deaths on a daily basis in remote areas of the governorate. Some of our health facilities are working 24 hours a day and last week one of our facilities recorded 30 cases in one day, most of which were children.

“The economic situation in the country has not made it any better for people. Parents cannot afford to bring their children to the hospital or to buy the medication. Hospitals are full, and some patients are kept in hospitals having to lay on the floor because of a bed shortage. It’s really bad. Children as young as eight months have not been spared by the dengue fever. In some of the hospitals, all you can hear are children crying in pain. We are currently supporting 48 health facilities in Hodeidah which recorded more than 6000 Dengue fever suspected cases in 2019.”

Save the Children’s health centers have been receiving many cases of children suffering from dengue, and its teams on the ground are diagnosing and treating patients while referring the most severe cases.

Ali (name changed), 8, recently contracted Dengue fever in his home village not far from Hodeidah City. His parents brought him to Al-Thawrah Public Hospital – a major health facility in Hodeidah City which has been supported by Save the Children for several years now. Ali is receiving medical treatment along with 14 other children aged between 2 and 8 years.

His mother said: “I had to leave everything back there in the village and stay with my son in here. [He’s having] high temperature all the time and hasn’t eaten anything for three days now.”

Save the Children has also procured medical supplies to respond to Dengue fever and malaria outbreak in its areas of operations, including Aden, Taiz, Hodeidah, and Hajjah. It is also raising awareness among health workers and community health volunteers on how to deal with Dengue and other hemorrhagic fevers.

With the constant occurrences of preventable diseases in Yemen, only peace across the country can guarantee quick responses and rebuilding of a health system that is facing collapse. Yemen is still reeling from a cholera epidemic, which led to over 2 million suspected cholera cases between October 2016 and August 2019.

Close to five years of conflict has resulted in the country’s health system at breaking point, with more than half of all health facilities closed or only partially functioning. Many hospitals have been damaged by airstrikes or ground fighting, and there is a widespread critical shortage of essential medicines and qualified staff.

The post At Least 78 Children Die of Dengue Related Illness in Yemen appeared first on ZENIT - English.

The “oratio imperata” was released on Friday because of the “alarming” number of those afflicted by the diseases in the country.

Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle is requesting the faithful “to pray for the healing of those who are sick and for the protection of everyone from these and other illness”.

The prayer is to be recited kneeling after the post-communion prayer at all Masses in the archdiocese starting Sunday, Sept. 1.

The health department has earlier declared a “national dengue epidemic” after the mosquito-borne disease had claimed more than 800 lives so far this year.

The agency reported that dengue cases in the country have also reached more than 208,000 from January 1 to August 10.

Hospitals, particularly in Manila, are also bracing for a surge of patients because of disease-carrying floods.

Based on the latest data, the agency has recorded about 981 leptospirosis cases all over the country, with 113 deaths.

The figure, however, is lower than the 2,618 cases of leptospirosis with 256 deaths reported in the same period in 2018.

Below is the copy of the special prayer in English and Filipino languages:

ORATIO IMPERATA FOR DENGUE FEVER AND LEPTOSPIROSIS 

Almighty and loving Father, we thank you for the life that is your gift, for the providence that sustains us, and for your wisdom that directs the course of our days.

Forgive our sins against your love, against each other, and against your creation. Make us responsible stewards of your creation.

The plague of dengue fever and leptospirosis are upon us today. These diseases have caused much suffering and have claimed many lives. We humbly beg You, loving Father, to deliver us from these and other diseases. Heal those who are afflicted. Strengthen us in charity to care for each other.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever. Amen.

Our Lady, Health of the Sick, pray for us. St. Raphael the Archangel, pray for us. San Roque, pray for us. San Lorenzo Ruiz, pray for us. San Pedro Calungsod, pray for us. 

ORATIO IMPERATA PARA SA DENGUE FEVER AT LEPTOSPIROSIS

Makapangyarihan at mapagmahal na Ama, nagpapasalamat kami sa handog mong buhay, sa pagkalinga mong nagpapanatili sa amin, at sa karunungan mong gumagabay sa takbo ng aming buhay.

Patawarin mo ang aming mga kasalanan sa iyong pag-ibig, sa aming kapwa, at sa kalikasan. Gawin mo kaming mabuting katiwala ng iyong mga nilikha.

Sumasaamin ngayon ang salot ng dengue fever at leptospirosis na nagpapahirap sa marami at kumitil ng maraming buhay. Nagmamakaawa kami, mapagmahal na Ama. Iligtas mo kami sa mga ito at sa lahat ng uri ng karamdaman. Pagalingin mo ang mga maysakit. At buhayin mo sa amin ang pagkakawanggawa upang kalingain namin ang bawat isa.

Hinihiling namin ito sa pamamagitan ni Hesukristong Anak mo na nabubuhay at naghaharing kasama mo at ng Espiritu Santo iisang Diyos, magpasawalang hanggan. Amen.

Mahal na Birhen, mapagpagaling sa may sakit, ipanalangin mo kami. San Rafael Arkanghel, ipanalangin mo kami. San Roque, ipanalangin mo kami. San Lorenzo Ruiz, ipanalangin mo kami. San Pedro Calungsod, ipanalangin mo kami. 

The post Church in Manila Issues Prayer Against Dengue, Leptospirosis appeared first on ZENIT - English.