Price-increases medical treatment and airline tickets lead to new concerns

A large number of people from different states in Darfur have complained of the price-increase for air tickets for treatment or study in Khartoum, in particular the cases of illness and injury that cannot afford any delay in treatment. Several citizens said told Radio Dabanga that their relatives had died due to the inability to buy tickets to Khartoum. In addition to the high costs of treatment and accommodation. University and college students complained that many were suspended from the new academic year as a result of delay in enrollment in universities and higher education institutes. They pointed out that traveling by buses and trucks can take up to a month, due to travel and security conditions as well as the bad road conditions . A medical source from Darfur told Radio Dabanga that the number of patients referred for treatment in Khartoum are at least 2,000 patients a month. The source added that Khartoum might only be the primary treatment station and that a number of patients will be referred for treatment abroad. A source within the aviation industry confirmed to radio Dabanga that the percentage of passengers traveling for medical treatment by plane are estimated between ten and twenty per day. Citizens appealed to the central government and regional authorities to intervene and support the transport of patients and students by subsidizing ticket costs.