South Sudan: Treating Severe Malaria in Bentiu

In the last seven weeks, Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) teams have been treating as many as 4,000 malaria patients every week in its health care facilities in the UN protection of civilians camp (PoC) in Bentiu, South Sudan, a staggering 43-fold increase from figures at the beginning of the year. As a result of the skyrocketing malaria caseload, compounded by limited access to basic health care and lack of early access to diagnosis and treatment of malaria, many children have been arriving to the MSF hospital inside the PoC with severe malaria infection.

The MSF hospital in the Bentiu PoC is the only hospital for the population of the camp. It provides 24-hour emergency room care, intensive care for malnourished children, medical treatment in pediatric and adult wards, and surgical and maternity services. As a result of other concurrent outbreaks of infectious diseases, MSF also operates two isolation wards for patients with suspected hepatitis E and measles. MSF operations in Bentiu are supported by more than 40 international staff and 350 local staff.

New arrivals wait to be registered at Bentiu POC. They reported insecurity, continued fighting and lack of food as factors for coming into the POC. September 2015. Bentiu, South Sudan. Brendan Bannon

New arrivals at the registration site in Bentiu POC. Photo Brendan Bannon. Bentiu, South Sudan. September 2015

Malaria screening at an MSF field clinic near the registration site for new arrivals in Bentiu POC. Photo by Brendan Bannon. September 2015. Bentiu, South Sudan

Kume is a three year old boy tested positive for malari. He had a fever of 39.7 when his family brought him into the hospital at Bentiu POC. Photo by Brendan Bannon. September 2015. Bentiu, South Sudan

Blood transfusions underway for malaria pateints with anemia. Blood is collected on site by family donors whose blood is tested for Malaria, Syphilis, Hep B and C, HIV and blood grouping. Bentiu POC. Photo by Brendan Bannon. September 2015. Bentiu, South Sudan

MSF medical staff work to bring down the fever of a young boy with malaria before they can give a blood transfusion. The boy's fever was 39.8 and through application of wet cotton they managed to bring it down initially nearly 2 degrees. Bentiu POC. Photo by Brendan Bannon. September 2015. Bentiu, South Sudan

The MSF operating room at Bentiu POC. Photo by Brendan Bannon. September 2015. Bentiu, South Sudan

Foreground: Nyaniema Gatluak and her son PY who is sick with Pneumonia. "We came in because of the fighting. We always heard gun shooting day and night so we ran into the camp," said Gatluak. In the background is Peter Gatkoth who brought his daugher to the hospital. "We are like people who have never been born. We have nothing now. No cattle and no crops," said Peter Gatkoth, father of 5 year old Nyaga Gatkoth who was in the MSF hospital in Bentiu POC with severe Malaria. "We came in May after our cattle were looted and our houses were burned. If they found us they would throw us into the fires. This crisis is still going on." Gatkoth said. Photo by Brendan Bannon September 2017. Bentiu POC, South Sudan.

MSF field hospital in Bentiu POC. Photo by Brendan Bannon. September 2015. Bentiu, South Sudan

South Sudan: Treating Severe Malaria in Bentiu

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South Sudan: Treating Severe Malaria in Bentiu

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