Darfur displaced cry out for ‘urgent help’

The Darfur Displaced and Refugees Association has called on the international community to access the camps, and investigate the various diseases spreading in the camps for the displaced in the region. “The displaced have become desperate. The humanitarian and health conditions in the camps have rapidly deteriorated. Known and unknown diseases are rampant in the camps, leading to the death of many,” Hussein Abu Sharati, the spokesman for the Association told Radio Dabanga. He called upon “the international community, the UN, the EU, and international relief organisations, and in particular the World Health Organisation, to send medical teams of specialists to examine the causes of the unknown diseases, that have become endemic in all Darfur camps.” Hunger and diseases The coordinator of the North Darfur camps, Omda Ahmed Ateem, called on “all organisations in the world to act, and save the people of Darfur from hunger and disease, whether in towns or villages”. “We are also in desperate need of protection against the government-backed Janjaweed, and the Rapid Support militia, who are the causes of the insecurity and instability in Darfur. The displaced do not know where to flee to anymore.” “If there will not be a solution within months, many Darfuri displaced will die from hunger and diseases.”    Hepatitis The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Sudan stated in its latest weekly bulletin that the number of confirmed Hepatitis E cases in South Darfur’s Kalma camp for the displaced stands at 336. “The 336 cases of Acute Jaundice Syndrome (AJS) were confirmed as Hepatitis E, following laboratory testing in Khartoum. No Hepatitis E related deaths have been reported in Kalma camp. Two deaths as a result of Hepatitis E were reported from El Sareif camp in South Darfur. According to the State Ministry of Health and the World Health Organisation (WHO), the number of jaundice cases in four camps in South Darfur is 515 (including the 336 cases confirmed as Hepatitis E).” Humanitarian health organisations report that there has been a sharp increase in the number of AJS cases in South Darfur since the beginning of the rainy season in late July. The main reasons for the are an insufficient supply of safe water owing to depleted ground water sources, and poor sanitation. Some 2,000 extra latrines are needed to cope with Kalma camp’s growing population. According to aid organisations, there are approximately 122,000 people in Kalma camp. Sanitation issues were exacerbated by heavy rains and flooding, with dozens of latrines destroyed. A special task force led by the Emergency Health Department (EHA) of the Sudanese Ministry of Health has been formed to respond to the outbreak and coordinate the efforts by humanitarian organisations. A task force has visited the camps, identified risk factors, and monitored responses. Jebel Marra The Common Humanitarian Fund (CHF) has allocated US$1 million to address humanitarian needs in the Nertiti and Rokero localities of the Jebel Marra area, OCHA announced in its latest bulletin. “This allocation will be used to provide an estimated 70,000 people, including 30,000 returnees, with much needed food, health and nutrition, hygiene, food security and livelihood assistance.” In August, Tearfund organisation, in partnership with the World Food Programme (WFP), Unicef, and Sudan’s Ministry of Health, established a supplementary feeding centre in Guldo town, in western Jebel Marra. “The feeding centre targets children under 5 years of age as well as pregnant and breastfeeding women. To date the centre has treated 306 severely and malnourished children, and 49 pregnant and breastfeeding women. The supplementary feeding programme plans to cover an estimated 2,500 children every month.” File photo: New displaced at El Salam camp in South Darfur, March 2014. Thousands of displaced had to flee the widespread attacks on their villages by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces at the end of February this year (Albert González Farran/Unamid) Related:Health situation deteriorating in West Darfur’s Murnei camp (11 September 2014)’Unknown diseases claim lives in Darfur camps’: displaced association (5 September 2014) Sudan Ministry denies Ebola case in West Darfur (30 August 2014)‘Diarrhoea death figures false’: Central Darfur Health Ministry (29 August 2014) 16 Central Darfur children dead from mystery disease (10 August 2014) Unknown disease kills 18 in Kalma camp, South Darfur (24 June 2014)