Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from Babanusa who fled to Al-Meiram in Sudan’s Western Kordofan State have complained about the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in the sheltering houses in Al-Meiram
Several displaced individuals at the Al-Meiram center who spoke to Radio Tamazuj highlighted the harsh conditions they were living in due to the lack of necessities and cited severe shortages of food, drinking water, and lack of healthcare.
The supervisor of the Al-Meiram Secondary School sheltering house, Buthaina Hammad Hamdan, told this publication that the center hosts several families who live in dire conditions.
“The center accommodates 20 families suffering from several problems, most notably the deterioration of health conditions and the lack of emergency medicines, in addition to the shortage of water and the absence of containers for water,” she said. “The displaced individuals are experiencing a decline in their nutritional situation due to the lack of humanitarian aid, except for what is provided through simple community efforts.”
According to Hammad, there are several pregnant women in need of special care as well as several girls in need of protection.
On her part, Salah Hammad, a displaced woman, confirmed that they are living in harsh conditions due to the shortages of food, medicine, and drinking water.
Another displaced woman, Muna Ishaq, stated that they cannot even afford food and drinking water.
“We face several problems, including water and medicine shortages, as well as health issues such as diarrhea and other diseases,” she lamented.
Meanwhile, Salah Muslim Ali, a male IDP, emphasized that their calamitous situation is known and that the media and well-wishers need to convey their voices and plight to the world. She thanked the residents of Al-Meiram for their hospitality and reception.
“The good reception will not last long because we are now facing major problems such as health issues, diarrhea, and medicine shortages,” he said. “The biggest problems we face now are water shortages, water vessels, and a severe shortage of food.”
Muslim added: “Food prices are high and we do not have money because we fled from our homes empty-handed to escape the fighting in Babanusa.”
He highlighted the absence of relief organizations in Al-Meiram but said that aid had reached IDPs in Al-Fula which he said was discriminatory because all the IDPs in both areas faced the same plight.