Sudanese refugees in eastern Chad lack shelter, safe drinking water

The Sudanese refugees of camp Treguine in eastern Chad are experiencing a scarcity of safe drinking water, and are resorting to less sanitary sources, risking the spread of disease. Sheikh Ali Yaqoub, head of the camp told Radio Dabanga that the water pumps provided by the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) have broken down. This has forced the refugees to go into the valleys for water in spite of the health risk. Sheikh Yaqoub appealed to the UNHCR to expedite re-drilling the well that was destroyed by last year’s rain. He warned that the refugees might be exposed to significant health risks at the beginning of the rainy season unless there is some progress. “The Sudanese refugees in Chad lack the financial resources to buy their own plastic sheets from the market,” he explained. “Last year’s rain destroyed a significant number of houses, but as the camp has received no plastic sheets, many refugees – especially the elderly, women, children and the disabled – are now left with nothing to protect them from the elements during the rainy season.“I therefore appeal to all the relevant organisations as well as the UNHCR to expedite aid for the Sudanese refugees of eastern Chad,” Sheikh Yaqoub said.File photo by Albert González Farran/Unamid