‘Illness plagues 90% of Sudanese refugees in South Sudan camp’

The dire humanitarian conditions for Sudanese refugees in a camp in South Sudan’s Upper Nile have made a large majority ill, according to the camp’s coordinator.

The Sudanese refugees from Blue Nile in camps in El Maban in South Sudan’s Upper Nile are living in dire humanitarian and health conditions, according to the Coordinator of camp Yousif Bateel.

The coordinator told Radio Dabanga that 90 per cent of the refugees, many of whom fled fighting and air raids in Kilgo, are suffering of coughs, flu, and malaria, as a result of the harsh environmental conditions.

He said that humanitarian organisations have not provided tents, mosquito nets, or blankets for the refugees of the camp since the rainy season in March; which led to the worsening of health conditions.

He also attributed their plight to the local community preventing of the refugees from cutting trees or collecting straw for building and cooking. He appealed to the humanitarian organisations to speed up the provision of food and shelter for the refugees.