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.
AGL AWARDS
Golden Ball - best Emirati player: Khalfan Mubarak (Al Jazira)
Golden Ball - best foreign player: Igor Coronado (Sharjah)
Golden Glove - best goalkeeper: Adel Al Hosani (Sharjah)
Best Coach - the leader: Abdulaziz Al Anbari (Sharjah)
Fans' Player of the Year: Driss Fetouhi (Dibba)
Golden Boy - best young player: Ali Saleh (Al Wasl)
Best Fans of the Year: Sharjah
Goal of the Year: Michael Ortega (Baniyas)
Four tips to secure IoT networks
Mohammed Abukhater, vice president at FireEye in the Middle East, said:
- Keep device software up-to-date. Most come with basic operating system, so users should ensure that they always have the latest version
- Besides a strong password, use two-step authentication. There should be a second log-in step like adding a code sent to your mobile number
- Usually smart devices come with many unnecessary features. Users should lock those features that are not required or used frequently
- Always create a different guest network for visitors
Other workplace saving schemes
- The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
- Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
- National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
- In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
- Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
Company%20profile
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, second leg
Roma 4
Milner (15' OG), Dzeko (52'), Nainggolan (86', 90 4')
Liverpool 2
Mane (9'), Wijnaldum (25')
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
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Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 7.8L/100km
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Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
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Available: Now
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
A list of the animal rescue organisations in the UAE
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UAE v IRELAND
All matches start at 10am, and will be played in Abu Dhabi
1st ODI, Friday, January 8
2nd ODI, Sunday, January 10
3rd ODI, Tuesday, January 12
4th ODI, Thursday, January 14
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
The specs: 2018 Ford F-150
Price, base / as tested: Dh173,250 / Dh178,500
Engine: 5.0-litre V8
Power: 395hp @ 5,000rpm
Torque: 555Nm @ 2,750rpm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 12.4L / 100km
Heavily-sugared soft drinks slip through the tax net
Some popular drinks with high levels of sugar and caffeine have slipped through the fizz drink tax loophole, as they are not carbonated or classed as an energy drink.
Arizona Iced Tea with lemon is one of those beverages, with one 240 millilitre serving offering up 23 grams of sugar - about six teaspoons.
A 680ml can of Arizona Iced Tea costs just Dh6.
Most sports drinks sold in supermarkets were found to contain, on average, five teaspoons of sugar in a 500ml bottle.
'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse Of Madness'
Director: Sam Raimi
Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Olsen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Benedict Wong, Xochitl Gomez, Michael Stuhlbarg and Rachel McAdams
Rating: 3/5
'Worse than a prison sentence'
Marie Byrne, a counsellor who volunteers at the UAE government's mental health crisis helpline, said the ordeal the crew had been through would take time to overcome.
“It was worse than a prison sentence, where at least someone can deal with a set amount of time incarcerated," she said.
“They were living in perpetual mystery as to how their futures would pan out, and what that would be.
“Because of coronavirus, the world is very different now to the one they left, that will also have an impact.
“It will not fully register until they are on dry land. Some have not seen their young children grow up while others will have to rebuild relationships.
“It will be a challenge mentally, and to find other work to support their families as they have been out of circulation for so long. Hopefully they will get the care they need when they get home.”
One in four Americans don't plan to retire
Nearly a quarter of Americans say they never plan to retire, according to a poll that suggests a disconnection between individuals' retirement plans and the realities of ageing in the workforce.
Experts say illness, injury, layoffs and caregiving responsibilities often force older workers to leave their jobs sooner than they'd like.
According to the poll from The Associated Press-NORC Centre for Public Affairs Research, 23 per cent of workers, including nearly two in 10 of those over 50, don't expect to stop working. Roughly another quarter of Americans say they will continue working beyond their 65th birthday.
According to government data, about one in five people 65 and older was working or actively looking for a job in June. The study surveyed 1,423 adults in February this year.
For many, money has a lot to do with the decision to keep working.
"The average retirement age that we see in the data has gone up a little bit, but it hasn't gone up that much," says Anqi Chen, assistant director of savings research at the Centre for Retirement Research at Boston College. "So people have to live in retirement much longer, and they may not have enough assets to support themselves in retirement."
When asked how financially comfortable they feel about retirement, 14 per cent of Americans under the age of 50 and 29 per cent over 50 say they feel extremely or very prepared, according to the poll. About another four in 10 older adults say they do feel somewhat prepared, while just about one-third feel unprepared.
"One of the things about thinking about never retiring is that you didn't save a whole lot of money," says Ronni Bennett, 78, who was pushed out of her job as a New York City-based website editor at 63.
She searched for work in the immediate aftermath of her layoff, a process she describes as akin to "banging my head against a wall." Finding Manhattan too expensive without a steady stream of income, she eventually moved to Portland, Maine. A few years later, she moved again, to Lake Oswego, Oregon. "Sometimes I fantasise that if I win the lottery, I'd go back to New York," says Ms Bennett.
Why seagrass matters
- Carbon sink: Seagrass sequesters carbon up to 35X faster than tropical rainforests
- Marine nursery: Crucial habitat for juvenile fish, crustations, and invertebrates
- Biodiversity: Support species like sea turtles, dugongs, and seabirds
- Coastal protection: Reduce erosion and improve water quality