The United Nations has acknowledged the situation at the Juba civil hospital to be ‘acute’ after days of clashes sent hundreds of wounded to the facility.
On the third day since the start of the conflict, this morning the UN began sending assistance to the hospital.
Yesterday the International Red Cross already sent medical supplies and body bags to the hospital, but conditions had been reported as ‘terrible’ on the previous day, the first full day of the conflict.
“There is an acute situation in Juba teaching hospital and other main hospitals in Juba. People who have been very seriously injured are brought there,” said UN Deputy Special Representative and Humanitarian Coordinator in Juba, Toby Lanzer.
“Staff have been working around the clock. UN is stepping up there since this morning to assist,” said Lanzer.
He was speaking on UN Radio Miraya at 11:00 today. “Red Cross have been attending the wounded too, that is how the situation should be. The worst may be behind us.
The UN humanitarian chief in Juba also on his Twitter feed that there is a ‘palpable sense of fear’ among refugees sheltering at UN bases in the city, but suggested some might return home today owing to calmer conditions in the city.
“I am pleased with the calm situation in Juba and the airport re-opening. We will have a careful look today at the humanitarian situation after three days. There are now 16,500 refugees in the UNMISS compounds Tong Ping and UN House,” he said over the radio.
“If indeed the day progresses, and people start doing their normal businesses, then I think people can ask themselves if they need to stay with us. Of course we will provide them with water and necessities if they do stay although our resources are limited. Now, I ‘d like to see if people will make up their own minds about staying in our bases,” explained the UN official.
“The amount of refugees has increased over the last days but is not increasing at the moment. We do not have any plans to relocate the people. It is their own decision whether they return to their homes or not. But our resources are limited.”
UN Photo