275 displaced ‘poisoned by contaminated food’ in West Darfur camp

Some 275 displaced people have reportedly been stricken with poisoning at Murnei camp in West Darfur on Friday. Some of them are in “critical condition”. A sheikh of the camp told Radio Dabanga that the people were stricken with vomiting and severe diarrhoea, after eating millet, suspect to have been contaminated. The sheikh said that “the millet was supplied by a humanitarian organisation”, but he did not say which one. “All of those affected went to the camp’s health centre, but could not receive any assistance due to lack of medical supplies,” he said. “Some of those still at the medical centre are in critical condition.” The sheikh said that as a precautionary measure, the displaced of the camp have stopped eating millet altogether. He appealed to the health authorities and humanitarian organisations to send a team to investigate. In South Darfur, the education infrastructure in the camps at Marshang is facing serious challenges due to a shortage of teachers, text and exercise books and poor maintenance of the schools. A sheik told Radio Dabanga that the schools need new classrooms, and for existing school to be maintained. He complained that the local authorities have not performed any maintenance on the schools since 2005. “The result is that the teachers have to send the children home every time it rains, as the roofs are not waterproof,” he said. “The high tuition fees imposed by the Ministry of Education have forced many parents to keep their children out of school.” The sheikh appealed to the Ministry of Education and international organisations to help find solutions to these issues. File photo: A displaced Darfuri woman receives her food ration (Albert González Farran/UNAMID) Related: ‘At least 2 children die per day’ in South Darfur camp (23 August 2013)