War broke out in Sudan on April 15, affecting Khartoum and other countries and leaving many people at risk. Amid the violence, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has decided to stay in Sudan and help those in need.
Sudan is home to more than one million refugees from neighboring countries, such as South Sudan and Ethiopia, who have fled violence and are looking for a place to live. Unfortunately, now they find themselves in another conflict that prevents them from coping.
The ongoing conflict has led to the problem of displacement, increasing the problems and needs of people in vulnerable areas. According to the International Organization for Migration, the number of refugees has doubled in one week to a total of 700,000.[1]. This includes approximately 3.7 million people who were already displaced in Sudan before the crisis.
How we respond
Our teams have been providing emergency medical care to injured people in North Darfur, providing support to hospitals, and providing medical care in Khartoum. We are also providing essential and specialized medical services in Central and West Darfur and in Blue Nile State, as well as conducting emergency operations in Al-Jazeera State.
We have also maintained our efforts to help vulnerable people, including refugees from neighboring countries who have been caught in a violent situation. In the Al-Gederaf district, our teams continue to provide medical care to Ethiopian refugees and the Tinedba and Um Rakuba camp areas.
In recent years at the Um Rakuba camp, we have provided essential medical services, including health and reproductive and mental health services, in addition to providing services at top hospitals.
Moulay Alm Asmlash is a 53-year-old man who arrived at Um Rakuba camp in 2020 as a refugee. He has been suffering from diabetes for a long time before going to the MSF hospital for treatment and medication. Fortunately, he got the care he needed, and has been receiving regular treatment for his condition ever since.
“Last spring, my daughter fell ill with malaria and received treatment from MSF. Now, many organizations have stopped working and providing aid because of violence and fighting. We are afraid,” says Moulay.
“We fled to Sudan because of the war, but things are difficult here as well. I always think about my support, and I fear that MSF may be forced to leave the camp because of this violence. I can’t afford medicine, and we are poor.
The result of this conflict
Due to the recent fighting, our work in Um Rakuba camp has been affected by difficulties. Therefore, our official channels are blocked. The focus has shifted to emergency life-saving services, especially for children, malnutrition, and women.
“As MSF, we are committed to continuing to provide medical care to refugees and communities in the Um Rakuba refugee camp. We have just received the message of the new arrivals in the community and will therefore be ready to adapt our response to the needs of the emergency. ,” says Francesca Arcidiacono, head of MSF’s mission in Sudan.
“Last week, I was in the camp and in the hospital. Talking to the refugees, it was clear that they are afraid of the future. They feel trapped, unable to move. He also mentioned the lack of humanitarian services, the lack of resources, and the uncertainty of what will happen next, he says.
“When the war started in Khartoum, all medicines, food, medicine, and food, were stopped in many parts of Sudan,” says Mohamed Omar Mohamed, MSF’s project director.
“There was also a large group of families living in Khartoum to go to other countries, including Al Gedaref, which increased the problems of the medical and health institutions, including inflation and rising prices in the market,” he says.
Women and children are the most vulnerable
Children and women are about to flee to Sudan because of the violence going on in their countries.
“I have had a hard time going to other hospitals to get treatment, especially since we can’t afford it,” says Stom Abdulrahman. “I went to the MSF hospital in Um Rakuba camp and received treatment and medical care. All our neighbors take their children to the MSF hospital. “
“MSF’s health promotion team visits me regularly and gives me information about hygiene, sanitation, and disease prevention,” he said.
Across Sudan, MSF-supported facilities continue to provide medical care in El Fasher, North Darfur, Kreinik, West Darfur, Rokero and Zalingei, Central Darfur, Um Rakuba and Tinedba, El-Gedaref state, Ad-Damazin, Blue. Nile State and Al-Jazeera state.
https://www.ungeneva.org/en/news-media/news/2023/05/80845/sudan-displacement-doubles-one-week-says-iom
