* Any views expressed in this article are those of the author and not of Thomson Reuters Foundation.
Juba, South Sudan, 8 April 2016 - Recent violence in Pibor town has led to widespread looting of shops and NGO compounds, destruction of property and mass displacement. Thousands of people have fled to Vertet payam, a remote location that lacks adequate access to life’s basic needs, such as health care, food and clean drinking water. Now, relatively safe from the violence, the displaced and host community are facing other life-threatening challenges.
“In Vertet, there are no health services available at all,” recounts Liz Lewis, Medical Manager on Medair’s Emergency Response Team in South Sudan, who visited the conflict-affected area last week to conduct a needs assessment. “Thousands of people are currently living in temporary shelter. They only have dirty, green water from the river to drink, which is a real and immediate health threat.” Two mothers of young children told Liz they are desperately struggling to get food. Their meals mainly consist of lalop and tamarind, two local fruits, which does not provide them with enough nutrients to keep their bodies healthy and fight diseases. “The situation is very alarming and urgent humanitarian action is needed.”
Although some basic services such as health care are available in Pibor town, a four-hour walk away, the people sheltering in Vervet are cut off and too fearful to go back due to the recent fighting.
To help the people survive this desperate time, Medair’s Emergency Response Team is working around the clock to set up primary health care services in Vervet, providing much needed care to treat common but deadly diseases such as malaria and diarrhoea.
“Providing emergency care in Vervet comes with different challenges,” recounts Liz. “Rainy season will kick in soon and the road to Vervet will inevitably become impassable, creating a serious logistical challenge. Also, the tense security situation remains a subject of much concern. ”
Despite the challenges, Medair remains committed to serving those in need in the world’s youngest nation. “Working in a situation that has been labelled as one of the worst humanitarian crises at the moment, we do everything we can to support these resilient people. I’m amazed by the strength of people who have faced so many hardships and had to run for their lives at different times. I can’t wait to see lasting peace return to South Sudan and together strengthen communities so that they are better prepared to withstand future adversity," says Medair’s Deputy Country Director, Curtis Tyler.
Due to the recent conflict in several parts of the young country, 2.3 million South Sudanese are displaced.
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Information for the press
- Since the violence erupted in December 2013, according to the UN, 2.3 million people have fled their homes, including nearly 1.7 million who have been displaced within the country.
- Of these nearly 1.7 million displaced people, over 200,000 have sought shelter in UN Protection of Civilians sites.
- The majority of the people who were forced from their homes are living outside the PoCs, in swampy areas or different host communities.
- 640,918 South Sudanese have sought protection in refugee camps in Ethiopia, Sudan, Kenya and Uganda after the violence broke out in December 2013.
- The UN believes that 5.1 million people in South Sudan need humanitarian assistance.
The expertise Medair has gained after 24 years of aid in Sudan and South Sudan, allows the organisation to adapt its relief activities and provide emergency services to those in extremely vulnerable situations. Medair’s staff in South Sudan works tirelessly to help people survive the current crises, recover with dignity, and develop skills to build a better future. We provide life-saving health care, emergency nutrition services, safe drinking water, sanitary latrines, and protective shelter, to help people survive these desperate times.
Please contact:
Nathalie Fauveau, Press Relations Officer (English, French and German); nathalie.fauveau@medair.org, +41 (0)21 694 84 72
For enquiries and interviews from South Sudan, please contact Diana Gorter, Communications Officer (Dutch, English) comms-sds@medair.org, +211 (0)927 475 150
Medair’s South Sudan programme is supported by the EC Directorate-General for Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection, the United States Agency for International Development, US Department of State, the Common Humanitarian Fund, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), the Belgian Government, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through the Dutch Relief Alliance Joint Response for South Sudan, and private donors.
For more information on Medair’s South Sudan programme, click here.
This release was produced with resources gathered by Medair field and headquarters staff. The views expressed herein are those solely of Medair and should not be taken, in any way, to reflect the official opinion of any other organisation.
