Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Khartoum (Agenzia Fides) – The non-government organization “Doctors with Africa CUAMM” will not be leaving South Sudan, where it has been working since 2006. On March 5, President Bashir told 13 international NGOs they had 24 hours to leave Darfur, immediately following the International Crime Court's issuing of an arrest warrant for the Sudanese Head of State (see Fides 5/3/2009).
“Although we are worried and aware of the tensions in the country, we have decided to stay in South Sudan to continue working in the hospitals,” says Fr. Dante Carraro, Director of Doctors with Africa CUAMM. “We are monitoring the situation and the security level, minute by minute, however for the time being, our volunteer staff has not seen any changes or tensions in the area where we are working,” Fr. Carraro said. “However, we are willing to do anything, including the return of our staff, if there are threats to their security.”
“As we are not working in Darfur, we are not included in the expulsion order issued by the central government,” a spokesman from “Doctors with Africa CUAMM” (headquartered in Padua, Italy) told Agenzia Fides. “There are security problems, but these come from the clashes between local tribes. They are familiar situations to our staff, as they have been living with them for some time.”
Doctors with Africa CUAMM work in South Sudan on two sanitary aid projects, in an effort to improve hygiene and healthcare for the local population. In September 2007, the hospital in Yirol was returned to citizens, with completely new staff, which allowed for the reopening of the operating room and surgical activity. Today, the hospital can offer surgical procedures, Caesaerian sections, etc. thanks to the well-trained Italian and Sudanese staff, and thanks to the medicine, the equipment, and the materials. They have also begun training for healthcare personnel in the hospital and two male-nurses have been sent to Uganda for further training. (LM) (Agenzia Fides 9/3/2009)
