A measles outbreak has been reported among Sudanese refugees arriving in the Abyei Administrative Area, the area’s health minister said while warning that years without vaccinations are putting thousands of children at risk.
Speaking during a panel discussion organised by medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in Juba on Wednesday, Dr Ayom Korchek said a large influx of people fleeing Sudan’s war, now in its third year, has overwhelmed health services in northern Abyei, where most refugees are settling.
Many of the children arriving have never been vaccinated, he said, creating conditions ripe for rapid disease transmission.
“There is an outbreak of diseases, especially among these refugees,” he said, adding that measles cases have surged in recent weeks.
According to Dr Korchek, national health authorities have begun releasing vaccines to support an emergency response, with a wider immunisation campaign expected soon.
He said the area had previously battled a cholera outbreak traced to population movements from the north, and now faces additional threats.
The minister also reported a rising number of hepatitis E cases, describing the situation as “killing our people.” He attributed the spread to severe water shortages and the absence of partners working on water, sanitation, and hygiene in the area.
He said Abyei’s drug supplies are no longer sufficient because humanitarian and government partners still allocate medicines based on outdated population figures. Since conflict erupted in Sudan, he noted, many South Sudanese returnees and Sudanese refugees have settled in Abyei, straining already limited services.
“Some have been integrated into the community, and some are in the northern part, and they are sharing health services with us,” he said.
Insecurity has further complicated the health response. The minister said health facilities in several locations were forced to close months ago due to violence, while recent fighting in Sudanese border towns such as Babanusa led to an influx of gunshot casualties into Abyei.
Although the situation has calmed in recent days, movement restrictions imposed by UNISFA peacekeepers continue to hinder supervision and support visits to affected health facilities, he added.
Despite the challenges, the minister said the overall security situation in Abyei has slightly improved and that authorities are working with national and local partners to curb the disease outbreaks.
“We presented our situation at the summit to reflect what we are facing in Abyei,” Korchek said. “We hope the national health services will continue supporting us as we respond to these crises.”