Local authorities in Fashoda County in South Sudan’s Upper Nile State have appealed for humanitarian aid to the displaced people in the county, saying there are shortages of essential supplies.

Thousands of families sought refuge in Fashoda County following the fighting in Malakal town and other southern parts of the state including Panyikang.

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Tuesday, the Fashoda County Commissioner Morris Adiang stated the number of the displaced households is steadily increasing amid absence of aid organizations.

“The displaced are immensely suffering from the lack of food, shelter and medicines,” he said. “Now cases of diarrhoea have been recorded among children.”

Few aid organizations have accessed to the county since mid-December. A number of doctors fled to the area from Malakal, and last week on 12 March the Dutch aid organization Cordaid sent a flight of medicines, equipment and tools to the county.

According to Cordaid, the chartered a flight not only brought medicines for health workers in the county but also salaries for about 80 county health department staff whom Cordaid supports, as well as several Cordaid staff now relocated from Malakal to Kodok.

Photo: An aircraft chartered by Cordaid in Kodok, Fashoda County, 12 March 2014 (Cordaid)