By Deng Ghai Deng
The French medical Charity Doctors without Borders also known as Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has been forced to evacuate its international staff and suspend operations in Ulang County, Upper Nile State, following serious threats from a local individual.
The organization confirmed this in a statement sent to the No.1 Citizen Newspaper.
Aurélie Lécrivain, Deputy Field Communications Coordinator at MSF in South Sudan, confirmed the evacuation and the temporary suspension of activities at the MSF Secondary Healthcare Hospital in Ulang.
According to Lécrivain, the evacuation took place on August 15, 2024, in response to escalating threats against the organization’s personnel.
“Indeed, on August 15th, Médecins Sans Frontières had to evacuate part of its staff from Ulang in Upper Nile State due to serious threats from a local individual,” Lécrivain stated. “As a result, we have temporarily suspended some activities at the MSF Secondary Healthcare Hospital in Ulang.”
The safety of both staff and patients is MSF’s utmost priority. Lécrivain emphasized that the organization will only resume its operations once it can ensure the protection and security of its medical facility and personnel.
MSF’s decision underscores the volatile conditions under which humanitarian organizations operate in conflict-affected Areas.
The suspension of services is expected to impact the local community significantly, as the MSF Secondary Healthcare Hospital in Ulang has been a critical provider of medical care in the area.