The international medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) announced today that it has closed the doors of its emergency health centre in Melut area in Upper Nile after three years, saying the needs of the conflict-displaced people changed.

 “MSF’s role as first responder was crucial at the start of the emergency. We were able to take care of the displaced population as they arrived at the beginning of 2014,” Marta Cazorla, MSF Field Coordinator for Melut said in a statement.

The statement explained that Melut area has observed less fighting this year and that the needs of the displaced population are now different.

The medical aid charity pointed out that local medical actors have a greater capacity to deliver the necessary healthcare in the area, leaving it free to redeploy to where the need is greatest.

“In Melut, the needs of the displaced population changed and we have been working to prepare other healthcare actors who are better suited to provide this type of care. MSF is ready to intervene in an emergency should the need arise again,” said Cazorla.

The organization noted that the number of consultations has dropped considerably over the course of the deployment in Melut.

According to MSF, it treated about 21,000 outpatients in early 2014 when the intervention started, but by 2016, this number has fallen to 5,700 as the medical situation stabilised.

However, MSF reaffirmed its commitment to intervene in the greater Upper Nile region despite the difficulties of operating in an area prone to conflict.

"As an emergency organisation, we are guided by the principle of intervening in a healthcare crisis, whether natural or man-made,” said Cazorla.

File photo: the main ward of the MSF hospital in Melut (Credit: MSF)