Doctors Without Borders

Published purpose

(Fall 2010) Jonglei State, in southern Sudan, is currently the site of one of the most desperate humanitarian situations in the country. Ongoing conflict, arising from inter-tribal disputes, has led to continued and new displacement of populations. This situation has been further exacerbated, first, by the effects of a regional drought and, later, by severe seasonal flooding. All of these factors have limited peoples’ ability to grow food and also restricted access on the part of humanitarian groups hoping to intervene. Global acute malnutrition (GAM) rates have been reported as high as 46%, more than triple the accepted rate of 15% denoting a nutrition emergency. Supported by CIDA, MSF teams based in hospitals and health centres in Pibor, Lekwongole, Gumuruk, Lankien, Pieri, and Yuai in Jonglei State represent the sole source of medical support for a total population of nearly 500,000 people affected by inter-tribal conflicts, chronic flooding, and drought.