S. Sudan conflict leaves thousands of civilians without food: MSF
May 22, 2015 (JUBA) – Medical charity, the Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), or Doctors Without Borders, said thousands of civilians in Jonglei, Unity and Upper Nile states have been displaced and left without food and medicines previously provided by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) following the escalation of violence.
“The escalation [of the conflict] has left people in conflict areas exposed to violence and without much needed medical care and humanitarian assistance,” said Paul Critchley, MSF head of mission in South Sudan.
He said an upsurge of violence in Unity, Jonglei and Upper Nile states has resulted in the suspension of medical services, destruction of health structures and evacuation of medical staff.
“All parties to the conflict must respect civilians and healthcare structures in order to prevent even more unnecessary suffering,” he said in a press statement extended to Sudan Tribune.
MSF said since the conflict erupted in December 2013, it provided 167,207 outpatient consultations, of which 62,269 were for children under five years, 10,367 patients admitted to hospital, of which 5,123 were children under five years, 5,096 surgeries performed and 3,587 deliveries. Another 1,102 patients under treatment for kalaazar and 6,243 children treated for malnutrition, of which 1,102 admitted to hospital in South Sudan as well as contested region of Abyei.
“Ongoing insecurity is preventing planes from landing and has forced hundreds of people to seek shelter at the United Nations ‘Protection of Civilians’ site in the last few days,” the statement further lamented.
MSF’s ability to provide care to those in desperate need is now at risk, he said, unless the safe passage of staff and supplies is guaranteed, the press statement claims.
Describing the security situation in South Sudan as “volatile,” the medical charity said it treated people wounded in recent fighting in Malakal and provided medical assistance to approximately 30,000 people living in the ‘Protection of Civilians’ in the Upper Nile state capital.
“The highly volatile situation continues to prevent teams from being able to enter Malakal town itself where much of the fighting took place.”
MSF evacuated its staff from Unity state’s Leer town on 9 May as front-line approached, leaving about 200,000 people without medical access.
Even before the conflict began in December 2013, the government of South Sudan was not providing adequate medical services or food needed by people in the villages. The war, being fought by forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and his former deputy Riek Machar, has worsened the already dire humanitarian situation in the nearly four years old country.
(ST)