Over 610,000 individuals have fled Sudan into Chad in search of refuge, predominantly settling in Daguessa and Goz-Aschiye within the Sila region since the commencement of the conflict, as reported by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), a medical charity.
The Sila region, already grappling with chronic food insecurity, now faces a exacerbated situation due to the influx, according to MSF’s statement.
The humanitarian organization paints a distressing picture of the conditions in Chad’s Sila region, where approximately 92,000 people, comprising mostly Chadian returnees and Sudanese refugees, are striving for survival amid scarce resources and strained humanitarian responses.
“People have seen terrible things in Sudan,” Alimè, a Sudanese refugee who fled with her daughter said, adding “They lost everything and arrived here with nothing.”
MSF teams operating in Daguessa and Goz-Aschiye are actively delivering crucial healthcare services, encompassing mobile clinics, stabilization tents, and malnutrition programs. Nevertheless, the medical charity underscores that the pressing needs far surpass the available resources.
Goumsou Mahamat Abadida, an MSF health promoter, relayed a heart-wrenching account, mentioning, “One woman told me her children hadn’t eaten in four days. It’s a heartbreaking reality, and healthcare alone isn’t enough.”
MSF emphasizes the urgent requirement for increased humanitarian support, encompassing food assistance, enhanced access to clean water, and additional healthcare services.
“The response is simply inadequate,” stressed Khatab Muhy, the MSF head of mission in Chad, adding “We urge donors and other organizations to step up and help address this growing crisis before it’s too late.”
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) disclosed on Tuesday that at least 25 million people are grappling with escalating rates of hunger and malnutrition as Sudan’s crisis reverberates across the region.
