The medical relief organization Doctors Without Borders, known by its French acronym MSF, is providing supplemental food and medical care for refugees suffering from malnutrition in Sudan’s White Nile State.

Most of the refugees in White Nile have come from four towns of South Sudan’s neighbouring Upper Nile State: Wadakona, Kaka, Renk, Malakal, and their surroundings.

“Most of those arriving are women, children and the elderly; they are coming on foot or by public transport,” said Dr. Amir Osman, MSF medical team leader in White Nile State. “Since some of them are in poor health and nutritional condition, we are conducting medical consultations and nutritional screening on arrival”

MSF said in an article this week that it provides medical assistance to over 30,000 South Sudanese who fled their homes to White Nile State. Of these, currently about 3,230 people are enrolled in an MSF therapeutic feeding programme, receiving regular medical check-ups and supplementary food.

“Severely malnourished children are immediately enrolled into the therapeutic feeding programme, while supplementary food is provided for those moderately malnourished,” said Dr. Amir.  

Malnourished pregnant and lactating women are also under close observation given the high numbers of women arriving, according to the medical organization, which has so far conducted 152 safe deliveries.

Nyabok Adwok (not real name), a refugee in White Nile says, “I used to be a government employee and self-dependent, now I’m in another country and dependent on aid.”

“I walked for three days from Wadakona, Upper Nile State to North Kweik, in Sudan, where I had to sell my cows, sheep and goats to get money for other necessities,” she says.

Like Nyabok, most of the South Sudanese in White Nile entered Sudan on the western side of the Nile and settled around Um Jalala area commonly known as ‘Kilo 10’ but have since been relocated to three transitional areas, namely Jorai, El Kashafa and El Rades.

Some entered via the eastern side of the Nile and settled in an area called Al-Alagaya.

The MSF clinic is located in El Kashafa area, while MSF mobile clinics are also used to reach the two camp areas. Medical care is also available in Kosti city, and MSF refers about 15 cases monthly to the hospital there.

Photo: Patient being treated by MSF medical staff in White Nile State (MSF)