Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has announced that it will be suspending its operations at the largest displacement camp in Sudan due to increasing violence. Although the camp is home to over half a million people and has been facing widespread starvation and humanitarian needs, MSF has no choice but to suspend its activities and the field hospital it operates.

The violence in the camp intensified this month after paramilitary forces stormed the area on February 11. Both the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces have been accused of shelling health facilities and residential areas, and using hunger as a weapon of war. This has forced approximately 10,000 families to flee and left many patients in need of trauma surgery and emergency interventions trapped in the camp.

The MSF facility in the camp was originally established to combat malaria and does not have the capacity to provide trauma surgery. Transporting patients to the nearest hospital in El-Fasher has become increasingly dangerous, with two ambulances carrying Patients from the camp to El-Fasher being shot at in January and December.

MSF’s decision to suspend operations in the camp comes at a time when Sudan is experiencing its largest recorded displacement and hunger crisis, with fighting in the country cutting off access to up to 80% of hospitals in conflict areas.

Source: https://www.dw.com/en/sudan-msf-halts-operations-in-famine-hit-displacement-camp/a-71736981?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf