Hundreds of returnees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Morobo County of Central Equatoria State are still “in dire need for humanitarian assistance” despite aid deliveries, a community leader said.

Ezidio Taban, the Morobo community chairperson, told Radio Tamazuj on Wednesday last week that people still live in harsh conditions, despite assistance from well-wishers and the Episcopal Church of South Sudan’s Central Equatoria province.

“We took some clothes to the IDPs, but it was not enough. Also, the Archbishop of the ECSS Central Equatoria province took some food, but it was not enough because the number of people increased to 4,440 in Wudabi and Rodoba centers,” he explained.

According to Taban, returnees and IDPs stay under trees and sleep in the open with no access to food, medical care, clean drinking water and shelter in several villages of Morobo County.

“People are in dire need of services such as clean water, medical services and health workers and I’m appealing to the government to extend health services to the women and children in Morobo.  There is also a need for non-governmental organizations to extend food and seeds to people there,” he said.

Last month, the United Nations humanitarian agency said fighting between armed groups and attacks on civilians in Morobo County resulted in a number of casualties and displaced a large number of people.