Sudan (Northern States) > Programme description
1. How long has Medair been in the country?
Medair first started operating in Southern Sudan in 1992, and began working in Sudan’s northern states in 2000, supporting a Primary Health Care Centre (PHCC) in Omdurman El-Salaam IDP Camp, just outside Khartoum. Medair has worked in West Darfur since 2001 (pre-conflict), and in the Nuba Mountains area since 2003.
2. What is Medair doing in the country?
Medair’s overall goal in the northern states of Sudan is to provide high quality humanitarian assistance with a particular focus on improving health care provision, access to safe water supply, and good sanitation. Medair also maintains preparedness to provide relief in response to new emergencies.
Medair works with IDPs and other war-affected populations in Khartoum State, Southern Kordofan, and West Darfur. We incorporate a strong focus on capacity building and community engagement in all our projects.
3. Where are we working?
Access to fresh water
Khartoum State:
Medair provides primary health care access along with health & hygiene promotion, with a permanent location in Omdurman El-Salaam (OES) IDP Camp, and a mobile clinic in the Hamas Koreib and Naivasha areas of IDP settlement.
The 1.5 million IDPs living in Khartoum State remain extremely vulnerable. They face ongoing risks of malnutrition and outbreaks of disease, due to the general level of poverty, low standards of hygiene, and insufficient access to good quality health care.
South Kordofan:
Medair supports access to primary health care, and water & sanitation, working in three separate areas in the Nuba Mountains: North East Kadugli; Allirri Hills; and the Western Jebels.
This region was a key battleground during the civil war, and the population remains very vulnerable. The area suffers from acute underdevelopment, with extremely limited access to basic services such as primary health care or clean water. The post-conflict transition in South Kordofan faces numerous challenges, such as the significant number of returnees; the merging of two existing systems of administration; the presence of uncleared landmines in many areas; and possible further crises such as disease outbreaks or a return to conflict.
West Darfur:
Medair supports access to primary health care, reproductive health, public health promotion, and water & sanitation in this region, working in 19 locations.
Even before the conflict began in 2002, this region suffered from recurrent drought, lack of development, and minimal access to basic services. The conflict exacerbated the problems severely, leading to the destruction of villages and livelihoods, and displacing as many as two million people.
4. How many people are working for Medair in Sudan (Northern States)?
Medair employs approximately 25 internationally recruited staff (IRS) and 200 nationally recruited staff (NRS) in Sudan’s northern states.