Khartoum, 22 June 2022– International medical organisation Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Border (MSF) is leaving East Darfur and handing over its medical activities for refugees and local communities in Kario refugee camp (East Darfur) to the Sudanese Ministry of Health. Five years ago, MSF entered East Darfur to launch an emergency response following an outbreak of acute watery diarrhoea.
“As the medical needs were high, at the time we decided to stay longer than initially planned to build up and provide primary healthcare services to the 36,000 South Sudanese refugees in the camp as well as about 80,000 people from local communities, who today account for more than half of all consultations” says Ann Mumina, MSF Head of Mission in Sudan “Now we are handing these regular medical activities back over to the Sudanese Ministry of Health, with whom we have worked closely over the past 5 years. Nevertheless, MSF is present in Sudan and stands ready to respond to any medical emergency that might occur in the country, including in East Darfur.”
Over the past five years, MSF medical teams have provided more than 300,000 outpatient consultations and admitted around 10,000 patients in inpatient department. With the support of MSF midwives, nearly 5,000 babies have been born safely in the clinic, while some 50,000 children under 15 have been vaccinated against measles. In nearby villages, MSF has set up an ‘integrated community case management’ programme to screen children for malnutrition and treat people for uncomplicated forms of malaria and diarrhoea. MSF also provided community health volunteers ensuring basic medical treatment with training and medications.
MSF is a medical humanitarian organisation whose actions are guided by medical ethics and the principles of neutrality, independence and impartiality. Assistance is offered based on medical needs, irrespective of race, religion, gender or political affiliation.
MSF is working in Sudan since 1978 and today provides medical care in Khartoum, Gedaref, Blue Nile, Central Darfur, West Darfur, South Darfur and Kassala states, with emergency teams launching responses in other areas as needed.
