The Sudanese Doctors Network announced today, Saturday, the death of 13 Sudanese refugees due to hunger and deteriorating humanitarian conditions in the “Gaga” refugee camp in Chad during the past week.
In a statement published on social media, the network explained that “the camp, which hosts 21,000 Sudanese refugees, is suffering from a severe shortage of food and medicine, leading to the spread of diseases and a rise in the number of deaths.” The statement pointed out that “international organizations are ignoring the worsening situation in the camp, which threatens the lives of thousands of refugees.”
The network appealed to UN and international organizations for urgent intervention to provide food and medical assistance, warning of the continued displacement of refugees in search of basic needs.
The Sudanese Doctors Network also expressed its dismay at the ongoing deterioration of the situation for Sudanese refugees in Chad, criticizing the inaction of humanitarian organizations despite the daily suffering endured by the displaced.
Earlier this month, the international organization Oxfam warned in a statement that “the ongoing conflict in Sudan has caused the world’s largest humanitarian crisis,” noting that the number of internally displaced people has doubled to reach 12.7 million.
The website “Mobtada” reported that “this serious warning comes as the World Food Programme is expanding its relief operations, having recently started distributing food aid to 100,000 people in the Jebel Aulia area south of the capital, Khartoum.”
For its part, the official spokesperson for the World Food Programme in Sudan, Leni Kinsey, confirmed that “the organization is currently providing urgent assistance to about 4 million Sudanese citizens,” adding: “We have managed to organize new relief convoys to the Al-Fashir area in North Darfur, targeting the provision of basic food supplies to the most affected regions.”
The spokesperson indicated that “lack of funding is the main obstacle to expanding our humanitarian operations,” warning of “the risk of famine spreading in several areas of Sudan if funding supplies do not improve.”
She revealed a comprehensive plan to mitigate the crisis’s repercussions, saying: “We are working on several fronts to alleviate the expected famine and malnutrition problem, while providing urgent support to the vital sectors most affected by the crisis.”
