WHO Records 40 Deaths Due To Unknown Sickness In Bentiu IDP Camp

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday said they have registered 40 deaths due to unknown sickness within the month of March in the Bentiu internally displaced persons camp.

The WHO Epidemic Control Officer Simon Deng said the unknown death cases were recorded by health cluster in the hospital run by MSF.

 “I am aware of 40 unknown death cases in the camp, I call them unknown death cases because their sickness was not identified,” Deng told journalists in Bentiu town of Unity State.

Deng disclosed that some of the death cases happened at home; adding that in some circumstances relatives of the dead transported them to hospital within the IDP camp without proper certificates detailing cause of death.

   “What happened is that some people still believe traditional witchcraft will heal the sickness of their relatives,” Deng said.

Some people in Unity State prefer seeking treatment from traditional herbalists rather than health centers.