MSF shuts emergency health centre in Upper Nile town

January 30, 2017 (MELUT) – Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) announced on Monday that it had closed the doors of its emergency health centre in Melut area in Upper Nile after three year following changes in the needs of the conflict-displaced people.

“MSF’s role as first responder was crucial at the start of the emergency. We were able to take care of the displaced population as they arrived at the beginning of 2014,” said Marta Cazorla, MSF Field Coordinator for Melut area.

The area, the agency said on Monday, has experienced less fighting this year, further stressing that the needs of the displaced population in the region were now different.

MSF insists local medical actors have a greater capacity to deliver the necessary healthcare in the area, leaving it free to redeploy to where the need is greatest.

“In Melut, the needs of the displaced population changed and we have been working to prepare other healthcare actors who are better suited to provide this type of care. MSF is ready to intervene in an emergency should the need arise again,” said Cazorla, adding that the number of consultations had dropped in recent months.

MSF reported treated 21,000 outpatients in early 2014 when the intervention started, but by 2016, this number has fallen to 5,700 as the medical situation stabilised.

The international medical charity reaffirmed its commitment to intervene in the greater Upper Nile region, despite difficulties of working in an area prone to conflict.

“As an emergency organisation, we are guided by the principle of intervening in a healthcare crisis, whether natural or man-made,” said Cazorla.

(ST)