Suspending Aid in Sudan: Doctors Without Borders Faces Unbearable Security Situation
As Sudan’s humanitarian emergency unfolds, Doctors Without Borders has made the difficult decision to suspend its activities in the Zamzam refugee camp in North Darfur. The French medical charity, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), cites the “unbearable” security situation in the area as the reason for this pause in aid.
The Zamzam camp is home to around half a million internally displaced persons (IDPs), many of whom come from Abu Zerega, Shagra, and Saluma. Unfortunately, ongoing fighting between the Sudanese army and the rebel Rapid Support Forces has made it nearly impossible for aid workers to access the camp and provide much-needed assistance to those in need.
Since April 2023, the conflict in the region has resulted in the deaths of at least 20,000 people and forced over 14 million others from their homes. MSF has faced challenges in delivering medical care to the residents of Zamzam, with two of their ambulances being shot at while transporting patients to the regional hub of El Fasher.
Marion Ramstein, the charity’s project coordinator in North Darfur, expressed the heartbreak of having to suspend operations in Zamzam. She emphasized the necessity of this decision given the deteriorating security situation. However, she assured that MSF plans to return to the camp to continue providing vital support to the famine-stricken population.
Experts tracking hunger levels at the Zamzam camp have described the situation as “the worst form of hunger.” MSF has treated many young children suffering from anemia and acute malnutrition, with nearly 34 percent of children screened during a vaccination campaign in September 2024 showing signs of malnutrition.
Despite the challenges faced, MSF remains committed to serving those in need and hopes to resume their operations in Zamzam as soon as the security situation allows.
