Severe water shortages in refugee camps close to the Sudanese border have contributed to a rise in mortality and malnutrition rates to alarming levels, giving origin to a major humanitarian crisis.
The head of the International Committee of the Red Cross delegation in South Sudan Melker Mabeck said the humanitarian situation in Yusuf Batil camp is extremely worrying due to terrible conditions and survival remains a struggle.Mr Mabeck said people are drinking contaminated surface water and that children are especially vulnerable to death from water-borne diseases such as diarrhea.
He explained that the Red Cross is tackling this emergency by expanding the camp’s water infrastructure and distributing jerry cans and buckets.
Mr Mabeck added that the Red Cross launched a project to improve water access for about 37,000 people in Yusuf Batil camp.
The Red Cross plans to install water distribution piping, storage tanks, tap stands and pumps to provide enough water for half the camp’s population to ease pressure on existing systems and bring overall water access in the camp.
Heavy rains make the area extremely inhospitable, creating thick mud and large swathes of stagnant water, making the transport of aid to the camp difficult with all supplies to be airlifted.