United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Spokesperson William Spindler made evaluations about the situation in Sudan, where conflicts continue, at the weekly press conference of the UN Geneva Office.
Stating that more than 4 million people have been forcibly displaced in Sudan since April 15, due to the clashes between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (HDK), Spindler said they are concerned about the deteriorating health situation across Sudan, including border crossing points and internal transit centers. .
Noting that more than 700 thousand people fled to neighboring countries and 195,000 South Sudanese had to return due to the conflicts, Spindler underlined that more than 3 million people were displaced within the country.
Emphasizing that Sudan needs more than the available humanitarian aid resources, Spindler stated that the lack of essential medicines, personnel and supplies in the White Nile state hinders health and nutrition services in 10 refugee camps there.
“More cholera and malaria cases expected”
“Mental health and psychosocial support services are also negligible.” Spindler said many families have been on the move for weeks with little food or medicine, which has increased malnutrition rates, epidemics and related deaths.
“More than 300 deaths, mostly under the age of 5, were reported from May 15 to July 17 due to measles and malnutrition. These numbers will likely increase if funding of life-saving health programs continues to be delayed,” Spindler said. he said.
Reminding that since the beginning of the conflict, the World Health Organization (WHO) has reported a shortage of health personnel and attacks on health centers, Spindler noted that this situation negatively affects the quality of health services in the country.
“More cases of cholera and malaria are expected in the coming months due to flooding from continued rains and inadequate sanitation facilities in Sudan,” Spindler said. said.
Pointing out that more funds are needed to support the provision of health services and other important aids, Spindler said that only 29 percent of the 566 million regional refugee response plan launched by UNHCR and its partners to provide aid to countries neighboring Sudan was financed.
Clashes between the army and the HDK in Sudan
The Sudanese army wanted the full integration of the NGO, which it once supported, but saw as a threat because it acted as an independent and parallel army, into the army within 2 years.
The war of words and tension, which started with the HDK’s declaration that it could accept this in a period spanning about 10 years after the civilian government, turned into an armed conflict between the parties in Khartoum and various cities on the morning of April 15.
More than 3,000 people, most of them civilians, lost their lives and tens of thousands were injured in the ongoing violent clashes with the capital Khartoum and its environs, especially in the western cities.