From the conceptual tool to practice

The case of DARFUR

P. Perrin 2002

Health aspects of the humanitarian crisis in the Greater

Darfur Region of Sudan

Attacks on People

Destructions

Crisis: Severe Imbalance between Needs and Services

Victims'Needs Service

sVictims'Needs

Services

Victims'Needs

Services

Humanitarian assistance

Darfur: Political insecurity

Displacement

Internal conflict has resulted in a massive humanitarian crisis in the Greater Darfur Region, Sudan, with more than one million

internally displaced persons (IDPs) requiring assistance in more than 124 different

locations.

IDPs and Refugees – Death Rate

About 1.2 million people in the Darfur region have fled their villages and are camped in 129 settlements across an area the size of France. More than 200,000

have fled to neighboring Chad.

WHO estimated there were 8,854 deaths among 498,000 internally displaced people in West Darfur over a two-month period _ some 148 deaths daily.

In North Darfur, WHO said there were an estimated 3,383 deaths among a population of 382,000 _ or 56

deaths a day.

WHO 9.2004

Displacement: Camps

Darfur Physical Environment

Health Conditions

Assessments of conditions in different IDP camps are grim, all indicating severe lack of food, water, health care and shelter. As IDP camps grow, so does the pressure on the health system, which is poor even at

the primary level. Secondary and tertiary health care is practically non-existent

outside of the state capitals.

Health Conditions

In Kalma camp near Nyala, where an estimated 66,000 people fleeing violence have sought shelter and MSF is treating 3,900 malnourished children, the survey found malnutrition and mortality rates

well above emergency levels. MSF warns that without increased mobilization of aid to South

Darfur, the health and nutritional situation in the region could deteriorate further.

MSF Nyala Sept 2004

Health ConditionsWith few hospitals working, many people lack access to health care and cannot get treatment

for diseases such as malaria, measles, pneumonia and cholera.

Health Conditions

A major health concern is the lack of sanitation and safe, potable water at IDP camps. Most

water sources are under-chlorinated, household containers are contaminated, latrines are

inadequate and environmental conditions are anything but satisfactory. It is estimated that

only 12% of the potable water needed is currently available

Health Conditions

Such poor conditions have led to a rise in mortality, with instances of daily under-five mortality rates of 6.8 per 10 000. The main

causes of death are acute respiratory infections, diarrhoea, and malnutrition.

Health Conditions

The situation is becoming even more critical as the rainy season sets in. Some camps will become unreachable and there will be an

increased possibility of malaria and cholera outbreaks

Darfur: Food security

The international Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) warned that rural areas throughout Sudan's western region of Darfur face an "unprecedented food crisis" that is worse than the African famines in recent decades.   

The ICRC also said that the conflict in Darfur resulted in a

collapse in agriculture. Most villages have planted very little; farmers have had their seeds, their tools and their cattle looted.

According to the ICRC, those who did not escape to the displaced camps, now face famine. The ICRC also discovered that these communities spend all their money on food at the local market, where prices are now two to three times higher than last year.

Hunger crisis

The ICRC believes that these communities could face an even worse hunger crisis than the famines of 20 years ago.

Darfur: Polio22 JUIN 2004 | GENEVE -- Les épidémiologistes de l’initiative mondiale

d’éradication de la poliomyélite lancent aujourd’hui un cri d’alarme indiquant que l’Afrique de l’Ouest et du Centre est à la veille de la plus

importante épidémie de poliomyélite de ces dernières années. Cette mise en garde fait suite à la confirmation reçue ce jour qu’un enfant a été paralysé

le 20 mai par la poliomyélite dans la région du Darfour, au Soudan, un pays où cette maladie n’avait pas été observée depuis plus de trois ans. Il s’agit d’un virus très proche sur le plan génétique du poliovirus endémique dans

le nord du Nigéria, qui a proliféré au Tchad ces derniers mois.

Les données épidémiologiques montrent que la transmission du poliovirus sauvage continue à progresser à un rythme alarmant dans cette région. En

plus de la réinfection du Soudan, à ce jour cinq fois plus d’enfants d’Afrique de l’Ouest et du Centre ont été paralysés par la poliomyélite en 2004 qu’au cours de la même période en 2003. Cent quatre-vingt dix-sept

enfants ont été paralysés au Nigéria, suite à la suspension des campagnes de vaccination dans le nord du pays à la fin de l’année dernière.

Darfur: International Response

Darfur: ICRC response

Since the start of the crisis in Darfur, the ICRC has:

delivered more than 5,400 tonnes of food to around 220,000 rural residents and some 40,000 IDPs in 50 locations

distributed essential household items, such as blankets, tarpaulins, clothing and soap, to almost 390,000 people (263,000 IDPs in 9 camps and 125,000 residents in 19 locations

set up/repaired/upgraded water systems supplying some 2.1 million litres of water daily to over 240,000 people

The ICRC, in coordination with other organizations, notably WHO and MSF, is supporting surgical hospitals and primary health-care facilities throughout Darfur to ensure the wounded and sick have access to free treatment.

The operation in Gereida is being supported by the Australian and British Red Cross Societies and in Seleia by the Canadian and Netherlands Red Cross Societies.

To date in 2004:5 hospitals have been repaired and upgraded, serving some 172,000 IDPs

7-person ICRC health teams are working in rural hospitals,

basic health-care units set up in 4 rural regions, are serving 80,000 people, bothIDPs and residents

staff, training, supervision and materials are being provided to the prosthetic/orthotic workshop in Nyala

Darfur: ICRC response

Since the start of the crisis in Darfur, the ICRC has

delivered more than 5,400 tonnes of food to around 220,000 rural residents and some 40,000 IDPs in 50 locations

distributed essential household items, such as blankets, tarpaulins, clothing and soap, to almost 390,000 people (263,000 IDPs in 9 camps and 125,000 residents in 19 locations

set up/repaired/upgraded water systems supplying some 2.1 million litres of water daily to over 240,000 people

The ICRC, in coordination with other organizations, notably WHO and MSF, is supporting surgical hospitals and primary health-care facilities throughout Darfur to

ensure the wounded and sick have access to free treatment.

The operation in Gereida is being supported by the Australian and British Red Cross Societies and in Seleia by the Canadian and Netherlands Red Cross Societies.

To date in 2004:

5 hospitals have been repaired and upgraded, serving some 172,000 IDPs

7-person ICRC health teams are working in rural hospitals,

basic health-care units set up in 4 rural regions, are serving 80,000 people, bothIDPs and residents

staff, training, supervision and materials are being provided to the prosthetic/orthotic workshop in Nyala

The tracing and Red Cross message (RCM) network, set up in 1986, relays some 40,000 messages a year between family members torn apart by the north-south conflict in Sudan.

The network is being reinforced because of the conflict in Darfur.

The ICRC is also taking the lead role in restoring contact between the refugees in camps in eastern Chad and relatives left behind, together with the Red Cross of Chad

Throughout Sudan in 2004:

more than 28,000 RC messages were collected

almost 30,000 RC messages were distributed

around 1,700 separated Sudanese children registered

85 people, 70 of them children, reunited with their families

more than 230 people located whose families filed tracing requests

4,200 people being sought following tracing requests by their relatives

Darfur: Food security

Darfur: Food security

Darfur Physical Environment

Darfur Water

Darfur Health Services

Darfur: Actors of the International Response

Situation: Darfour

2004 - 2005

Population

Background Darfur

ICRC report

MSF report

WHO report

USAID

International commission of inquiry on Darfur to the UN Sec. Gen