As the crisis unfolded in Ethiopia in early November 2020, thousands of refugees have crossed the borders to Sudan, many crossing a river in search of safety and some walking several days after having fled with just the clothes on their back. However, the numbers of refugees crossing the borders have reduced in the last couple of weeks because of challenges that refugees are facing on the other side of the border. As of December, the UN in Sudan has registered more than 55,000 refugees.

Although the response has been rather slow, several humanitarian organisations are on the ground working to provide humanitarian aid and to respond on people’s needs. Many of the refugees are shocked by the violence which they experienced or witnessed. Many have lost contacts to family members who remained in Tigray region, worried about their wellbeing. Most people have fled with only very few belongings.
As a first response to address the increasing needs of the refugees, MSF teams have started healthcare provision, health promotion, mental health, nutrition screening for new arrivals and water and sanitation activities. The first medical activities started on 17 November and on 19 November the first MSF clinic was opened.

In the camps, services are still being scaled up but the response it too slow. Since 3 November, between 250 to 350 refugees have been moved to Um Rakuba, every day. Movement of people to Al Tanideba camp started in the first week of January, although the site is hardly prepared to receive people yet. We are extremely worried refugees are arriving to a camp that lacks essential services, and that their basic needs will not be met. At the same time, refugees keep arriving in Sudan, which means that services in the transit camps need to be well maintained and improved; as the total number of refugees in these sites continues to be high.