Thousands of Darfurian refugees who have fled to North Eastern Central African Republic are living with very little food and water, and under dangerously unhygienic conditions. International Medical Corps found the situation equally dire for the host population after taking part in an inter-agency, multi-sectoral assessment mission to Sam Ouandja town in North Eastern Central African Republic last week, where an estimated 2,600 refugees from South Darfur are seeking shelter.

The first refugees from Um Dafaq town in South Darfur marched 200 km across the border into Sam Ouandja after their village was attacked and destroyed at the end of May. Since then new refugees have been arriving on a daily basis. Many of the refugees are women and children. The majority are of African origin, belonging to the Masalit, Fur, Dojou, Tama and Kara tribes.

The refugees have settled in an area close to Sam Oaundja town and have started to build makeshift houses. The health and nutrition situation of the refugees is very dire. There is hardly any food or potable water available and the living circumstances are gravely unsanitary.

"If we do not deliver any health assistance in the coming weeks, we are going to see outbreaks of water born and vector diseases like cholera and malaria very soon," says IMC Medical Director, Dr. Guy Yogo, who participated in the assessment.

The assessment team found that the situation of the host population of Sam Ouandja is equally dire. The town was attacked in March 2007 and the consequent destruction and looting has left the inhabitants with almost no food stock and virtually no health care.

IMC will be setting up operations in Oaudda Djelle, 70 km from Sam Ouandja in the coming weeks to provide primary health care to an estimated 18,000 internally displaced and conflict affected populations in the area.