Increased Violence Reducing Access To Essential Healthcare Thousands of people in desperate need are unable to access medical and humanitarian assistance due to on-going fighting in South Sudan, according to Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). 26 August 2016 [image: Increased Violence Reducing Access To Essential Healthcare] MSF vaccination campaign in South Sudan. [MSF file photo]
By Peter Lokale Nakimangole *JUBA, 24 August 2016 [Gurtong] – *In recent weeks, fighting around Wau, Leer and parts of the Equatoria has affected the ability of thousands of people to access the much needed medical and humanitarian assistance. For many, the on-going violence and risk of attack means that they are often too afraid to seek help. The MSF says in addition, the recent surge in fighting has led to a number of NGOs reducing their staff and projects or even evacuating completely, further limiting the support available to those in need. After three and a half decades in South Sudan, MSF has observed a deterioration of respect for international humanitarian law and the protection it affords the population, medical facilities and its freedom to operate unhindered and untargeted. The statement by MSF disclosed that two MSF clinics were destroyed during the fighting in Greater Upper Nile region four weeks ago, with the violence forcing the population to flee and leaving the area without any access to a medical clinic or hospital. MSF reiterated the need for people to access healthcare and humanitarian support, all parties must ensure the free movement of civilians and access for humanitarian organisations to those affected. At present, the levels of access to humanitarian assistance including healthcare, food, water and shelter is near non-existent in some of the worst-affected areas. Tens of thousands of displaced people in Wau, Leer and the Equatoria are suffering largely out of sight, as MSF and other humanitarian actors are unable to reach them. The impact that this is having on the population is further exacerbated by increased levels of disease, including malaria. MSF’s humanitarian response in South Sudan is one of the organisation’s largest in the world. As such, MSF remains strongly committed to the South Sudanese people, its partnership with the health authorities and continuing to provide medical and humanitarian support where it is needed most. “Our priority today is to demand that those involved in the fighting allow MSF and other NGOs access so that we can determine the needs and provide the most appropriate response,” reads part of the statement by MSF. Posted in: Home <http://www.gurtong.net/ECM/Editorial/tabid/124/ctl/CategoryView/mid/519/categoryId/1/Home.aspx>, Governance <http://www.gurtong.net/ECM/Editorial/tabid/124/ctl/CategoryView/mid/519/categoryId/6/Governance.aspx>, Health <http://www.gurtong.net/ECM/Editorial/tabid/124/ctl/CategoryView/mid/519/categoryId/7/Health.aspx>, Humanitarian <http://www.gurtong.net/ECM/Editorial/tabid/124/ctl/CategoryView/mid/519/categoryId/8/Humanitarian.aspx>, Foreign Aid/Assistance <http://www.gurtong.net/ECM/Editorial/tabid/124/ctl/CategoryView/mid/519/categoryId/30/Foreign-AidAssistance.aspx> - See more at: http://gurtong.net/ECM/Editorial/tabid/124/ID/19809/Default.aspx#sthash.gsigolaz.dpuf -- To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/d/forum/southsudankob View this message at https://groups.google.com/d/msg/southsudankob/topic-id/message-id For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "South Sudan Info - The Kob" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/SouthSudanKob. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/SouthSudanKob/CAJb14oo6zsF-Sr5ojUSt2aTPNa-UkyVKNrrDAAS9iMoXd0-6NA%40mail.gmail.com. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
