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Thousands of South Sudanese refugees living in deplorable conditions

Refugees from South Sudan shelter in Bitima, Democratic Republic of Congo.  Refugees from South Sudan shelter in Bitima, Democratic Republic of Congo. © UNHCR/C. Delfosse

11 May 2016
Refugees fleeing to the Central African Republic from South Sudan face deplorable conditions and limited medical assistance.

Over 4,000 refugees fled violence in South Sudan in December 2015.  They are now living in a remote village of 1,000 in the southeastern part of the Central African Republic (CAR). Fleeing their villages in South Sudan to escape harassment from armed men, their conditions in CAR are not much better, with many people having lost relatives in the evacuation. 

In the small village, the makeshift dwellings they live in do not protect them from the elements.  Isolated from access to healthcare and clean water, some people have died from lack of medicine and food.  Malaria is a leading cause of illness due to a lack of proper shelters and mosquito bednets.  Humanitarian assistance has also been limited, as several armed groups working in the area have created more difficulties for the timely arrival of supplies and aid workers in the village of Bambouti

Mèdecins Sans Frontiès (MSF) has worked to provide aid and launched a five-day preventative medical mission at the end of April.  They were able to vaccinate hundreds of children for measles, pneumococcal, and more, while pregnant women received tetanus vaccinations.  Part of creating access to the village was the rehabilitation of a local landing strip to bring in personnel and supplies safely. They have also worked to re-open the local health center by the donation of medicines and the training of local health workers.  MSF has been working in CAR since 1997 and has recently doubled its level of medical care in response to the on-going crisis.


To Read More, Visit:
http://www.msf.org/en/article/central-african-republic-thousands-south-sudanese-refugees-living-deplorable-conditions
http://www.unhcr.org/pages/49e45c156.html
http://reliefweb.int/report/central-african-republic/car-thousands-south-sudanese-refugees-living-deplorable-conditions

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