Médecins Sans Frontières: Displaced People from Medani to Kassala Have Not Received Any Assistance
moatinoon
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) stated that it has begun assessing the escalating health situation in the states of Al-Qadarif and Kassala. It mentioned that it has initiated short-term emergency interventions for recently arrived Ethiopian refugees and displaced Sudanese citizens. These interventions include primary healthcare, water and sanitation services, and food distribution.
In a statement yesterday, MSF pointed out that Al-Qadarif and Kassala have become the final destinations for the displaced individuals on a long journey in search of safety. During this journey, they suffered from violence and shortages of essential needs such as food, clean water, sanitation services, and medical care. This situation followed the chaos that ensued after the Rapid Support Forces took control of the city of Medani and other areas in Al-Jazira state. Due to this chaos, the organization had to suspend its activities and evacuate its staff on December 19 from Medani, Damazin, Um Rakuba in Al-Qadarif state, and Doka. It also scaled down its activities in Damazin.
Regarding the conditions of the displaced people in the states of Al-Qadarif and Kassala, the organization stated, "Our teams witnessed the arrival of thousands of people from Wad Medani over the past month." MSF is working to assist Ethiopian refugees and displaced Sudanese people in the Tenedeya camp in Al-Qadarif. It noted that it had reduced its activities in the camp due to the escalating conflict in Wad Medani.
Highlighting the challenging conditions in the region, the organization mentioned that healthcare and essential medicines are extremely limited in the area. With the arrival of Sudanese displaced people, the demand for health services and basic needs has increased, necessitating an urgent response.
Pauline Linglart, the Emergency Project Coordinator for Médecins Sans Frontières in Sudan, stated, "In gathering sites in Kassala, our teams have been told by the displaced people that they have not received any assistance since their arrival in mid to late December. Families are sleeping on the ground, access to healthcare remains severely restricted with very few functioning medical facilities, and medicines are not provided free of charge. Many people have told us they cannot afford to buy items like food and medicine, forcing them to choose between purchasing one of these essentials. A team from Médecins Sans Frontières continually assesses the needs in newly opened sites for accommodating newly displaced people. In all these locations, we see that the volume of humanitarian aid provided is still wholly inadequate to meet peoples basic needs and ensure decent living conditions for them."
