SREBRENICA IN 1994: SANITARY & EPIDEMIOLOGICAL CATASTROPHE 1 YEAR BEFORE THE GENOCIDE

(Situation in the enclave of Srebrenica exactly 1 year before the Genocide)

Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Srebrenica General Hospital
To the UNHCR Committee, Sarajevo
To the Ministry of the Economy, Sarajevo
Date: 11 July 1994.
No. 94/94

REPORT

On the sanitary and epidemiological situation in the area of

 Srebrenica municipality

The sanitary and epidemiological situation in the area of Srebrenica municipality is still difficult. Given that a large number of people are living in densely populated areas in town and across the free territory, the housing sanitary conditions are extremely bad due to an insufficient number of latrines, low water supply, insufficient number of bathrooms for personal 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 as there is shortage of preventive agents. Below are the figures of people who have caught contagious diseases in the reporting period:

- Scabies ..........................14,383

- Jaundice ............................524

- Measles ................................21

- Mumps .................................15

- Tuberculosis and other 

respiratory 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 and other illnesses is certainly affected by malnutrition as well. The food arriving in the area lacks variety, it is of poor quality, and does not contain even the minimum required content of vitamins, proteins or minerals.

There are 8,125 registered cases of skin and subcutaneous tissue diseases. The total numbers of reported cases of lice infestations and intestinal contagious diseases were 22,297 and 2,038 respectively. The number of people who died from contagious diseases is/illegible/, most of them 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 the initiative in solving some of the problems. Unless the MSF and other international organisations provide enough disinfectants and vermin and rodent control agents, the communicable diseases may spread. The quantities of agents supplied are not nearly enough to 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 received them in quantities that could effectively reduce the incidence of lice infestation and the number of rodents in the free territory.

Passed for packet forwarding: 

(Signed) S. Salihovic

Hospital chief,

Dr. Avdo Hasanovic, pediatrician.

Srebrenica in 1994: Report on Sanitary & Epidemiological Situation