The leadership of Abyei administrative Area has resolved to no longer allow Sudanese refugees to access health facilities due to shortage of services and medicines.
“The medicines, which were procured and supplied, were to go up to December 2023. They were meant to cater for South Sudanese, not the Sudan war victims,” Bol Koch, information minister.
There has been influx of Sudanese refugees mainly from Southern Kordofan, fleeing the fighting there.
However, Abyei officials say the Messeriya families declined to be supported by UN agencies because they think they are not refugees in the area.
As a result, this has put a massive pressure on the already underfunded Abyei’s only public hospital, which admits over 200 patients from the Misseriya community a day.
“So, we decided to stop the admission and advised them to seek treatment in El Obied or other Sudanese towns with medical health services,” he added.
The area officials have been unable to provide numbers of the Sudanese refugees in Abyei. However, pictures seen by The Radio Community suggest that majority of them are, women, children, and the elderly.