Sudan’s South Darfur Inhabitants Call for Urgent Aid Delivery Via Chad
(AWP) - Community and official sectors in the state of South Darfur have issued appeals to international organizations and UN agencies for urgent intervention to save lives after the deterioration of humanitarian conditions.
The state is suffering from an acute shortage of medicine and medical supplies as well as food, with prices rocketing due to the suspension of aid provisions to Darfur for several months.
Footage from the Arab World Press (AWP) showed the few pharmacies that are still operating in Nyala are almost empty of any medicine or medical supplies, particularly life-saving, emergency and chronic disease medicines. There is also a lack of supplies for surgical procedures.
Ibrahim al-Quny, a doctor, said no vaccinations have taken place since the war started in April 2023.
He explained, “All children born during this period have not been inoculated. Many life-saving medicines are unavailable, as well as medications for endemic diseases in the country. Emergency medications are also unavailable.”
Media reports indicated that the Sudanese army had prevented aid from being delivered via the Chad borders into war-torn Darfur, a move condemned by Washington and relief agencies.
Soliman Ahmed, a volunteer and activist, said that the city of Nyala suffered a severe lack of healthcare due to the war, with all its hospitals rendered inactive.
Ahmed said, “Recently, since the fall of the leadership, the Qandul initiative partially restored Nyala Hospital, but the rest of the hospitals and health centers remain closed. We appeal to all regional and international organizations to urgently intervene to save patients in the city of Nyala.”
Meanwhile, Yahya Ibrahim al-Degil, the Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid in South Darfur, described the decision to approve the delivery of humanitarian aid to Darfur as “good news” for the inhabitants of a region exhausted by humanitarian crises.
He said, “We appeal to our brothers in national and international organizations and UN agencies to quickly intervene to save the lives of people living in miserable and tough conditions. We also call on donors to send food aid by various means.”
The Sudanese government announced earlier in March that it had approved the delivery of humanitarian aid across the borders with Chad. This decision came after previously insisting on closing the aid route from Chad, which the Khartoum authorities accused of helping the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).