Refugees seeking protection in Sudan trapped in another stream of violence

On April 15, fighting broke out in Sudan, affecting Khartoum and other states, leaving many people in life-threatening situations.

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) decided to stay in Sudan amid the violence and support those in need. Sudan hosts more than a million refugees from neighboring countries such as South Sudan and Ethiopia who have fled violence and sought asylum.

Unfortunately, they are now caught in yet another conflict that continues to hinder their survival. The ongoing fighting has led to a refugee crisis, increasing the plight and humanitarian needs of vulnerable communities.

According to the International Organization for Migration, the number of displaced persons doubled in one week to a total of 700,000.

This is in addition to the approximately 3.7 million people who were displaced in Sudan prior to the current crisis. How we react Our teams provided emergency medical aid to the injured in North Darfur, donated medical supplies to health facilities and provided health care in Khartoum.

We also provide basic and specialist medical care in Central and West Darfur and Blue Nile State, and emergency response in Al-Jazeera State.

We also continued our efforts to help vulnerable communities, including refugees from neighboring countries, caught in another wave of violence. In Al-Gederaf state, our teams continue to provide health care to Ethiopian refugees and local communities in Tinedba and Um Rakuba refugee camps.

In recent years, in the Um Rakuba camp, we have provided essential medical care, including sexual and reproductive health and mental health services, in addition to referrals to higher health care facilities. Moulay Alm Asmlash is a 53-year-old father who arrived at Um Rakuba camp in 2020 as a refugee. He had been suffering from diabetes for a long time before he went to the MSF hospital for treatment and medication. Fortunately, he found the treatment he needed and has since been able to treat his condition regularly.

“My daughter fell ill with malaria last autumn and was treated by MSF. Now, most organizations have stopped working and providing services because of violence and fighting. We are afraid, says Moulay.

“We fled the war to Sudan, but the situation is difficult even now. I always think of my concern and fear that MSF could leave the camp because of these violent conditions. I can’t afford to buy medicine and we are poor. The impact of the current conflict Due to the recent fighting, our operations at the Um Rakuba camp have been affected by equipment problems. Therefore, our admission criteria are limited. The focus shifted to emergency rescue operations, mainly in the fields of paediatrics, malnutrition and obstetrics.

“As MSF, we are committed to providing medical care to the refugees and host communities in the Um Rakuba refugee camp. We have just received news of the new results in the region and are therefore ready to adapt our response to the most urgent crises,” says Francesca Arcidiacono, MSF Mission Director in Sudan.

“Last week I was in the camp and in the hospital. Talking to the refugees, it became clear that they are afraid of the future. They feel trapped, they cannot travel. They cited diminishing humanitarian efforts, lack of supplies and great uncertainty about what will happen later, he says. “When the fighting started in Khartoum, all supplies of medicine, food, medicine and food were stopped in most of the Sudanese states,” says Mohamed Omar Mohamed, the MSF project coordinator.

“Also, the large migration of families living in Khartoum to other states, including Al Gedaref, in addition to rising prices and market inflation, has increased pressure on medical and health facilities,” he says.

Women and children are particularly vulnerable Children and women are left in a particularly vulnerable situation when they are forced to flee to Sudan due to violence in their homeland. “I suffered a lot to get treatment in some hospitals, especially because we can’t afford the cost,” says Stom Abdulrahman.

“I went to the MSF hospital in the Um Rakuba camp and received treatment and health care. All our neighbors take their children to the MSF hospital.”

“The MSF health promotion team visits me regularly and gives me information on cleanliness, environmental hygiene and disease prevention,” she says. MSF-supported facilities continue to provide medical care across Sudan in El Fasher in North Darfur, Kreinik in West Darfur, Rokero and Zalinge in Central Darfur, Um Rakuba and Tinedba in El-Gedaref State, Ad-Damazin, Bluessa Nile State and Al- Jazeera State.

Source: MSF