In the city of Kosti, White Nile State, 88 shelter centers are witnessing the spread of malaria and waterborne diarrhoeal diseases due to deteriorating environmental conditions, Emad Ahmed from the Kosti Emergency Committee said.
Emad explained that the recent rainfall caused most of the shelter centers to flood, contributing to the deterioration of the environment within them. He also pointed out the spread of mosquitoes and other vectors with the complete absence of the relevant authorities responsible for epidemic control.
He stated that there are 150 cases of waterborne diarrhoeal diseases, most of which are among children.
Emad revealed interventions from the organization “Save the Children” and the health authorities in the state to provide primary healthcare services through a single health center, compared to the number of 88 centers. Emad said that the coverage rate does not exceed 10% of the actual need, noting that the center accommodates only 60 patients daily.
Moreover, it does not operate 24 hours a day and every day of the week, as the service stops on Fridays and Saturdays, extending until 3:00 PM. He affirmed that the health authorities decision to provide free health services to the displaced has not been implemented.
The Governor of White Nile state, Omar Al Khalifa Abdullah, revealed that the state has approximately one million refugees from South Sudan, including 500,000 registered refugees and more than 150,000 refugees who arrived from Khartoum, with the rest distributed across various cities.