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Uganda overwhelmed as tens of thousands flee violence in South Sudan

Around 2,300 people have fleeing South Sudan and arriving in Northern Uganda every day for the last three months. People from the surrounding counties of South Sudan’s capital report fighting between rebel and government forces, attacks on civilians and the burning and looting of whole villages.
At the beginning of September the Ugandan government responded to this huge influx of people by putting aside land where the refugees could settle, now known as Bidi Bidi refugee camp near the northern town of Yumbe. The camp is growing so quickly so that the government have already had to open three more ‘zones’ on top of the initial space they put aside for refugees and are now looking at opening a fifth.
Conditions in the camp aren’t good. MSF responded by setting up one outpatient and one mobile clinic in the camp. Malaria is endemic and respiratory tract infections and diarrhoea are very common. There have been a few cases of cholera and dysentery. Water is also scarce and MSF is currently trucking in 66,000 litres every day. This is a short term solution and plans are under way to build water pumps and pipes across the huge and quickly growing camp.

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