8/8/2019 Srebrenica in 1994: Report on Sanitary &
Epidemiological Situation
3/4
Republic of Bosnia and HerzegovinaSrebrenica General HospitalTo
the UNHCR Committee, SarajevoTo the Ministry of the Economy,
SarajevoDate: 11 July 1994.No. 94/94
REPORT
On the sanitary and epidemiological situation in the area
ofSrebrenica municipalityThe sanitary and epidemiological situation
in the area of Srebrenica municipality is stilldifficult. Given
that a large number of people are living in densely populated areas
in townand across the free territory, the housing sanitary
conditions are extremely bad due to aninsufficient number of
latrines, low water supply, insufficient number of bathrooms
forpersonal hygiene, and poor laundry facilities. This has given
rise to an increase in the
incidence of scabies and other contagious diseases transmitted
by vermin such as lice,bedbugs, fleas and other insects. Our
service has been operating in difficult conditions asthere is
shortage of preventive agents. Below are the figures of people who
have caughtcontagious diseases in the reporting period:
- Scabies ..........................14,383- Jaundice
............................524- Measles
................................21- Mumps
.................................15- Tuberculosis and
otherrespiratory diseases ....... 1,297
We are lacking BCG vaccine to prevent tuberculosis. Due to this
shortage, none of the new-born babies were inoculated during the
war. The number of people suffering from TB andother illnesses is
certainly affected by malnutrition as well. The food arriving in
the area lacksvariety, it is of poor quality, and does not contain
even the minimum required content ofvitamins, proteins or
minerals.
There are 8,125 registered cases of skin and subcutaneous tissue
diseases. The total numbersof reported cases of lice infestations
and intestinal contagious diseases were 22,297 and
2,038respectively. The number of people who died from contagious
diseases is/illegible/, most ofthem children; thirty-eight people
of different ages died from TB. Cooperation with the
MSF /Medecins Sans Frontieres/ could be better if they would
only make an effort to take theinitiative in solving some of the
problems. Unless the MSF and other internationalorganisations
provide enough disinfectants and vermin and rodent control agents,
thecommunicable diseases may spread. The quantities of agents
supplied are not nearly enoughto meet the needs of lice infestation
control and eradication of other pests.
We have always requested these agents by means of an order form,
but we never receivedthem in quantities that could effectively
reduce the incidence of lice infestation and thenumber of rodents
in the free territory.
