EXTREME MAKEOVER: Scabies at the border

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A tide of demonstrations swept across North Africa and the Middle East in 2011. Libya was one of the most-affected countries. Many people lost their lives. Families were violently uprooted, and forced to travel hundreds of miles in blazing heat to neighbouring countries.

Thousands of Libyans streamed into temporary shelters in Salloum, the main border crossing point between Libya and Egypt. Camps were overcrowded, with no supply of running water. These conditions triggered a massive outbreak of scabies, a highly contagious skin disease.

1,400 men, women and children received emergency treatment from the Internationl Organztion for Migratn (IOM) and partners. IOM conducted health promotion sessions, fumigated the camp, and distributed new sets of blankets and mattresses to the migrants.

Furthermore, an emergency clinic supported by IOM provided basic health care to more than 45,000 migrants. Critically injured migrants who needed specialized treatment were transferred to public hospitals.

The IOM medical unit donated USD $25,000 worth of medical supplies to Egypt’s Ministry of Health.


ORIGINAL PIECE:

More than 1,000 migrants at Salloum border crossing between Libya and Egypt have been treated for scabies infection by a team of IOM specialists, in collaboration with the Egyptian port authorities, including the Ministry of Health and Population, and UNHCR.
Migrants and refugees who fled Libya and are currently at Salloum transit centre waiting for onward transport, started complaining of skin infections, allergy and rashes early September.
Scabies is an itchy, highly contagious skin disease caused by an infestation by the itch mite. It is transmitted by close personal contact with an infected individual, and spreads rapidly. It causes skin rashes and severe, relentless itching. Small children and babies are particularly prone to scabies infections.
Upon detecting the infection, the organization dispatched a team of 11 health volunteers, including a medical doctor as team leader, to reinforce the health team which was already in place.
In all, 400 persons were found to be infected with scabies but as a precautionary measure, all migrants and refugees, numbering 1,400 were given treatment.
IOM procured treatment medicine and supplies from its Cairo base. They were shipped to Salloum, where the IOM health team treated the infection. The treatment was repeated for four days to ensure that the infection was totally eradicated. At the same time, IOM supported complementary measures carried out by partners such as fumigating and spraying the area and the surroundings, isolating migrant’s clothes and exposing them to the sun for three days, and replacing blankets and mattresses.
Indeed, the health team also assisted with the burning of blankets and mattresses which were suspected to harbour the scabies mite, and replaced them with new ones donated by the UNHCR. Afterwards, the IOM team provided education to the migrants on how to prevent the recurrence of the scabies infections.


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Region: Libya, North Africa
Theme(s): Migration, Health, Humanitarian assistance

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