MSF calls for civilians' protection as Darfur conflict intensifies

Increased fighting has seen MSF treat over 100 gun-wounded patients in El Fasher.

In Summary
  • Head of MSF emergency response in Sudan, Claire Nicolet, said the situation in the camp is critical as the level of suffering is immense.

  • She adds that despite calls for more humanitarian assistance and organisations to step in and help, little has been done to help those suffering to survive.

Helena Cardellach - MSF Country Director in Sudan.
Helena Cardellach - MSF Country Director in Sudan.
Image: HANDOUT

Humanitarian organisation Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has called for prioritisation of protection of civilians as fighting intensifies in Sudan's North Darfur.

The organisation has also called for the protection of healthcare structures and staff who are assisting affected populations.

"MSF is calling on the warring parties to ensure the protection of civilians, health care structures and staff so that vital assistance for the tens of thousands of people whose lives are at-risk can be effectively provided before it is too late," MSF said in a statement.

It said over the last two weeks, increased fighting has seen MSF treat over 100 gun-wounded patients, 11 of whom are children at the South Hospital, El Fasher.

Zamzam camp is also experiencing a malnutrition crisis, MSF said.

Head of MSF emergency response in Sudan, Claire Nicolet, said the situation in the camp is critical as the level of suffering is immense.

She adds that despite calls for more humanitarian assistance and organisations to step in and help, little has been done to help those suffering to survive.

"In Zamzam camp, there is an acute disaster on a catastrophic scale.

"The lives of hundreds of thousands of people were already in jeopardy - and now with the current fighting, even more are at risk," Nicolet said.

She insisted that there is urgent need for humanitarian response to be scaled up to alleviate the malnutrition crisis in Sudan.

Nicolet also called on warring parties to enable safe access to humanitarian agencies.

MSF said the over 46,000 children screened, over 30 per cent were found to be suffering from acute malnutrition.

Another eight per cent had severe acute malnutrition.

The organisation said out of over 16,000 women screened, 33 per cent are suffering from acute malnutrition while 10 per cent have severe acute malnutrition.

Nicolet said the MSF continues to upscale its efforts and has so far enrolled over 11,000 children in its nutrition programme.

The organisation also plans to start a vaccination campaign against measles and expand its activities to support expectant women.

Nicolet further called on the United Nations and the wider humanitarian community to increase efforts in negotiating access by additional groups into Sudan, especially in the Zamzam camp.

She noted that the first aid to reach Zamzam camp in over a year was on April 29, but the situation remains dire.

WATCH: The latest videos from the Star