105,000 civilians need humanitarian aid in three eastern Jebel Marra areas

September 28, 2017 (KHARTOUM) – An interagency mission to assess needs of civilians in several areas in the eastern part of Jebel Marra in South Darfur found that over 105,000 civilians are in need of humanitarian assistance.

Since December 2016, Sudanese government decided to allow aid workers unfettered access the troubled mountainous area where the fighters of the Sudan Liberation Movement led by Abdel Wahid al-Nur who refuse to declare a unilateral cessation of hostilities or to join the peace process.

The United Nations decided to reduce the peacekeepers in Darfur region but at the same time to will enhance its presence in Jebel Marra to provide the needed protection for civilians and aid workers.

In its latest bulletin, UN OCHA said an inter-agencies – the UN Children’s Agency (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) visited Deribat town, Jabra and Kidineer areas from 10 to 15 September for the first time in several years.

The report estimated there are 105,000 civilians living in 46 villages. The visited areas host some 42,000 protracted displaced people and 1,000 returnees.

The UNICEF found that 18,013 children under five years are in need of nutrition services. Also, there are two health centres in Deribat but only one is functioning.

“There are no regular routine immunization services provided in Deribat, except for occasional national immunisation day and routine acceleration activities,” said the assessment mission in its findings.

It also noted that the most common diseases are acute respiratory infections, diarrhoea and malaria for children, while obstetric complications are the main reproductive health problems.

The report recommended to deploy health staff and to provide the assessed areas with medicines, immunization and nutrition services.

(ST)