New York: Brussels: Europe and the Arabs
The WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean launched an urgent appeal to all parties to the conflict in Sudan to withdraw from all health facilities immediately, especially the National Center for Central Public Health Laboratories. In a statement issued Thursday, Dr. Ahmed Al-Mandhari referred to the escalation of attacks on health infrastructure with the occupation Parties to the conflict to hospitals in Khartoum, as well as the National Center for Laboratories. This, he said, has resulted in patients being unable to access basic health care and the immediate cessation of testing critical laboratory samples.
About the national center, the Regional Director said: “This laboratory is known to contain pathogens such as measles, cholera, multidrug-resistant tuberculosis, vaccine-derived poliovirus, and other hazardous materials. WHO is concerned about the potential for untrained personnel to mishandle these Infectious samples, which means infecting themselves and then transmitting the infection to others.
Dr. Al-Mandhari stressed that the ongoing violence represents the greatest threat to health in Sudan, which is a human right. He added, "I hereby make an urgent appeal to all parties to the conflict in Sudan to withdraw from all health facilities immediately, and not to impede the work of vital public health facilities in Sudan. The provision of health care must also be ensured, including the very important laboratory work."
He also called on all parties to protect health workers and health infrastructure, and to commit to protecting health care services and the work of public health facilities.
Exacerbation of needs at the border
For its part, the International Organization for Migration said that up to 20,000 people, including Chadians, Sudanese and foreigners, had crossed into Chad to escape the violence.
The organization said that it has deployed its teams in eastern Chad on the border with Sudan, and is working around the clock to support national and humanitarian efforts to respond to the needs of the arrivals.
"The majority of the arrivals are in dire need of basic humanitarian assistance, which is food, water and adequate shelter," said IOM Chad Chief of Mission Anne-Catherine Schaefer.
The organization said in a statement that a large number of Chadian returnees have already been identified and it is registering them, in partnership with UNHCR, in three displacement sites in Adre, Ouaddai province, to identify quick solutions for them to help them reach their communities of origin, including through cash assistance. IOM is also working closely with the Chadian government and other partners to ensure that migrants from other countries receive immediate assistance, including voluntary humanitarian repatriation for those who wish to return home.
The importance of financial support
According to the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Sudan hosts approximately 1.3 million migrants. The International Organization for Migration expects the needs of the most vulnerable to increase with the escalation of violence.
“We need the international community to urgently increase financial support to help us provide a critical and rapid response to the growing needs, in terms of logistical and operational support, as well as protection, health, mental health and psychosocial support,” said Ms. Schaefer.
The head of the organization's mission in Chad stressed that the approaching rainy season will make access to the border area more complicated, which will make it more difficult to provide relief to those who need it most.
Although the United Nations has suspended humanitarian relief operations across Sudan due to the fighting in the country, humanitarian workers who have relocated to the port city of Port Sudan are determined to return to Khartoum "as soon as possible".
This was confirmed by the Acting United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, Abdou Diang, while speaking on the phone from Port Sudan to reporters in New York. Fighting is still raging in Sudan despite the ceasefire, Dieng said, noting that hundreds have been killed - including humanitarian workers - and thousands injured.
Diang expressed his concern about reports about the outbreak of fighting in the city of El Geneina, West Darfur state, noting that the situation in Darfur was fragile even before the outbreak of the latest fighting, noting that most of the humanitarian actors left Darfur, especially the city of Geneina. He stated that it is difficult to assess the additional needs resulting from what is happening. In the country, he said, adding that the humanitarian response plan was aimed at helping more than 15 million people - that's one in every three Sudanese. This number includes 3.7 million internally displaced persons and more than a million refugees.
The needs are enormous, Diang warned, noting that the Humanitarian Response Plan of about $1.7 billion has received only 15 percent of the total needed - about $200 million - leaving a gap of $1.5 billion. Meanwhile, the Emergency Relief Coordinator, Martin Griffiths, announced the allocation of $3 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund to urgently respond to the needs of Sudanese refugees and others arriving in Chad.
Non-compliance with the cease-fire
In response to a journalist's question about the negotiations currently underway in an attempt to extend the ceasefire so that humanitarian aid can be delivered, Mr. Diang referred to the multiple declarations regarding the ceasefire, "but they were not respected," as he put it. He added, "My appeal today is not only the need to respect the ceasefire, but we call for the opening of various humanitarian corridors to allow the delivery of humanitarian aid to those in need. I can say that almost all Sudanese need assistance now. But this matter is very complicated in light of the continuing fighting." Diang expressed grave concern about the food supply, adding: "Offices, cars, warehouses and a few items were looted Food items that were in the World Food Program warehouse. It is a very worrying situation that we are observing and that we are collectively trying to overcome."