Thousands of South Sudanese refugees face an aggravation of health problems in Ethiopia as cholera spreads and the conflict degenerates.
An international medical charitable has warned of an imminent “health disaster” among the southern southern refugees In Ethiopia, citing cases of arrow cholera and generalized malnutrition in overcrowded camps near the border.
In a statement published on Friday, doctors without borders, also known as the Medecins Sans Frontières (MSF), said that the local health system was exceeded and unable to face the needs of tens of thousands of newcomers.
“With hydrical origin diseases such as cholera and acute aqueous diarrhea increasing, the risk of a public health disaster is imminent,” said MSF.
The influx follows renewed violence in South SudanWhere a fragile power sharing agreement has been broken down.
The clashes between the forces faithful to the president Salva Kiir and the rival groups aligned with the first vice-president Riek Machar intensified, forcing a lot to flee. Machar was placed under house arrest in March, supporting the peace process more.
Between 35,000 and 85,000 refugees fled Mattar, an Ethiopian border city, according to MSF.
The organization said dealing more than 1,200 patients with cholera, warning that the disease can be fatal in up to 20% of cases if it is not treated. He also noted that more than 40% of malaria tests have returned positive and that almost 7% of children under the age of five suffer from acute serious malnutrition.
“ Disastrous humanitarian situation ”
Since February, more than 200 people suffering from war injuries have arrived in MSF clinics in the region.
MSF has urged all parties to the conflict to ensure humanitarian access and called on international donors to increase support. “The shelter, water and medical care seriously lack Mattar,” he said.
The UN warned on Friday that the situation in South Sudan is deteriorating quickly and on the verge of a broader crisis. “The climbing of hostilities … predict a real risk of further exacerbating human rights and the already disastrous humanitarian situation,” said UN Turk Volker Human Rights, urging all parties to withdraw immediately.
Between May 3 and 20, the fighting would have killed at least 75 civilians and injured dozens of others. According to United Nations reports, the South Sudan army has carried out air, land and rivers in populated areas, including attacks against a health facility managed by MSF.