Cases of severe disease, including meningitis, among children have risen by at least threefold in Khartoum as rotting bodies in the war-torn streets of Sudan create the perfect environment for infection to spread, a doctor at one of the few remaining paediatric hospitals in the capital has told The National.
“Rotting corpses and widespread looting that has left behind food waste … have caused an environmental hazard on Sudan's streets,” said Mohammad Fath Abdulrahman, general manager of Al Nada Hospital in Omdurman.
Since the war between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and the army broke out on April 15, more than 700 civilians have been killed and countless others wounded.
Exact numbers are difficult to obtain, as security concerns prevent doctors from visiting certain areas to carry out assessments.
“The mortality rates amongst children at our hospital stands at 5 per cent – which is high – but it's due to the severity of cases and shortage of necessary equipment,” Dr Abdulrahman said.
“We are receiving children with meningitis who are in a very critical state because they arrived at the very last possible minute.”
Meningitis is an inflammation in the brain and spinal cord caused by a bacterial or viral infection.
Since the war began, videos of uniformed men lying dead in residential areas have been circulating on social media. People have also described seeing bodies wrapped in blankets, waiting to be collected.
Residents, doctors, UN officials and humanitarian workers say that homes, hospitals and aid have also been looted.
The presence of human remains and rotting food following looting in marketplaces “have led to a severe lack of hygiene in the streets”, Dr Abdulrahman said.
“This has helped create the spike in meningitis cases we've been seeing.”
The war has also resulted in banks being robbed or closed down, leaving people with no access to funds.
“People are having to sell their possessions just to eat. So money is a concern when it comes to getting treatment,” Dr Abdulrahman said.
'Healthcare collapse'
At least 80 per cent of hospitals in conflict areas in and around Khartoum are out of service, the latest figures from Sudan's Doctors' Association show.
In addition, Khartoum is the country's healthcare centre, so the impact of fighting there has had major repercussions nationwide.
“Work in elective surgeries has mostly stopped. Now, hospitals are mainly dealing with emergency cases like war trauma patients and others who need dialysis and chemotherapy, for example,” Dr Faisal Nugud, director of the Sudanese American Physicians Association's regional office in Madani, told The National.
“Khartoum was also the main supplier of medicines and medical care. Consumables are depleting, including dialysis solutions, chemotherapy needs and surgical tools like gauze and gloves.”
Doctors and healthcare workers have been appealing for assistance.
“The humanitarian situation is dire,” Dr Nugud said.
Although the warring sides have agreed to a ceasefire on several occasions, fighting is still continuing.
“I expect a major collapse in the healthcare system” if the situation continues, Dr Nugud said.
Dr Abdulrahman, who has chosen to stay in Omdurman despite the chaos and violence to help those most in need, agreed.
“We are operating at a loss right now. But we have to remain open,” he said.
2018 ICC World Twenty20 Asian Western Sub Regional Qualifier
Event info: The tournament in Kuwait this month is the first phase of the qualifying process for sides from Asia for the 2020 World T20 in Australia. The UAE must finish within the top three teams out of the six at the competition to advance to the Asia regional finals. Success at regional finals would mean progression to the World T20 Qualifier.
UAE’s fixtures: Fri Apr 20, UAE v Qatar; Sat Apr 21, UAE v Saudi Arabia; Mon Apr 23, UAE v Bahrain; Tue Apr 24, UAE v Maldives; Thu Apr 26, UAE v Kuwait
World T20 2020 Qualifying process:
- Sixteen teams will play at the World T20 in two years’ time.
- Australia have already qualified as hosts
- Nine places are available to the top nine ranked sides in the ICC’s T20i standings, not including Australia, on Dec 31, 2018.
- The final six teams will be decided by a 14-team World T20 Qualifier.
World T20 standings: 1 Pakistan; 2 Australia; 3 India; 4 New Zealand; 5 England; 6 South Africa; 7 West Indies; 8 Sri Lanka; 9 Afghanistan; 10 Bangladesh; 11 Scotland; 12 Zimbabwe; 13 UAE; 14 Netherlands; 15 Hong Kong; 16 Papua New Guinea; 17 Oman; 18 Ireland
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
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More coverage from the Future Forum
How to vote
Canadians living in the UAE can register to vote online and be added to the International Register of Electors.
They'll then be sent a special ballot voting kit by mail either to their address, the Consulate General of Canada to the UAE in Dubai or The Embassy of Canada in Abu Dhabi
Registered voters mark the ballot with their choice and must send it back by 6pm Eastern time on October 21 (2am next Friday)
