Red Sea towns lack pharmacies, water service

Villages east of Durdeib in Red Sea state completely lack educational, health and water services. Badly drilled water wells might be demolished by any water torrent in the rainy season.

The situation involves five villages east of Durdeib, including Adaqi, Marawit, Adar and Mimish. Omda Mohamadein Omar said that these areas do not have a health centre or a pharmacy.

“This means that people have to take a camel to visit the hospital in Durdeib. As a result, a patient died of the three-day trip to Durdeib hospital last week.”

Omar said that the only water well was drilled by residents themselves. “Any water torrent will demolish it, which will deprive people of access to water.”

There are approximately 3,400 residents in the villages, according to the national number data. “This inaddition to a large group that is not registered and have no national number.”

The omda said that he met with officials of the Sudanese security service, the police and the locality commissioner. They have promised to reflect their grievances to the governor.

“These reports have been advocated by people in the area since 2007, the date of the establishment of Durdeib locality.”

In March, a journalist reported from Durdeib that the area has witnessed a shortage of potable water for more than six months. It had started following the non-operation of the local water station. As a result the price of a barrel of water rose.

In August last year, Durdeib was among the localities affected by water torrents during the rainy season. Parts of the national road at Gadmair area were washed away.