Emirates Red Crescent opens dengue treatment unit in Aden

The Emirates Red Crescent opened a dengue treatment centre on June 16, 2016 at Aden’s Republic Hospital, which it has been helping to rebuild since last year. Wam / December 15, 2015

Aden // The Emirates Red Crescent and Aden’s health office have opened a dengue fever unit at the Republic Hospital following an outbreak of the disease in southern Yemen.

The 20-bed centre is the only one in the region specialised in treating the mosquito-borne disease, according to Dr Al-Khadher Laswar, the director of Aden’s health office.

"The ERC supplied the centre with all the required medical equipment," he told The National.

Ishraq Al Shobaei, the coordinator of ERC projects in Aden, said the opening of the centre was prompted by the recent of spread of dengue fever in Aden and neighbouring provinces.

Local media have reported about 20 deaths from dengue in Shabwa and another five in Lahj in the past month.

“The ERC has trained doctors at the hospital to diagnose and treat dengue fever,” Ms Al Shobaei said.

Patients from Aden and surrounding provinces have been flocking to the centre since it opened on Thursday.

"The centre received 10 patients in the first two days, and we are working 24 hours to admit the patients and treat them," its director, Dr Saleh Al Dobahi, told The National.

That number had increased to 17 by Saturday, and the ERC now plans to open another dengue centre at Al Sadaqa Hospital in Aden in the next two weeks, he added.

Sameer Alawi, 20, said he was admitted to the Republic Hospital on Friday evening and was recovering after receiving proper medication.

“The dengue fever affected me three days ago, and I could not find any centre or medicine for dengue fever in Lahj, so I decided to come to Aden,” he said.

“I saw three patients die [in Lahj], but I am lucky that my father found the centre in Aden, which has given me hope.”

Umm Mohammed Al Awlaqi from Shabwa said she had been treating her daughter Aziza with herbal medicines for a week before she heard about the new dengue centre.

"My daughter was getting worse, and when my brother told me that there is a centre for dengue fever in Aden I immediately I sold some of my jewellery and brought her here," she told The National.

Aziza has been placed in intensive care.

”I am waiting for my daughter to leave the intensive care in good health,” Umm Mohammed said.

The opening of the dengue centre at the Republican Hospital is part of the ERC’s efforts to restore health care and other essential services to Yemenis in areas liberated from Houthi rebels in the country’s continuing civil war. The hospital was badly damaged in fighting between rebels and pro-government forces who liberated Aden last June with support from the Saudi-led military coalition of which the UAE is a key member. It has since been rebuilt by the ERC.