Cologne/El Fasher. Due to new fighting, Malteser International is forced to temporarily cut down its health care program in the Sudanese province of Darfur. 'For the past days, a comprehensive vaccination campaign against polio was planned. However, due to the fighting taking place right in El Fasher, our staff could not leave the town. Not a single child could be vaccinated', Dr. Georg Nothelle, Head of Africa Desk of Malteser International, explains: 'We hope that the international efforts to establish peace will finally be successful. Otherwise, we fear that even more people will be cut off from basic health care services in the future.'

Today, the U.N. Human Rights Council meets in Geneva to discuss the situation in Darfur. Since 2003, Arabic militia have been fighting against black African rebels in the western Sudanese province. During the past days, six people have been killed by an attack on a market in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, and during following demonstrations. On Saturday, armed forces attacked a van with relief goods and killed about 30 civilian in West Darfur according to UN sources.

In the south of El Fasher, Malteser International assures the health care for about 115,000 people. Predominantly, they care for pregnant women, treat children and their mothers and combat cholera and malaria.

Attention editorial offices! Dr. Georg Nothelle, Head of Africa Desk of Malteser International, is available for interviews. Please contact +49 (0) 221/98 22 155 or +49 (0) 171/425 63 44.

In order to reduce the suffering of the people in Darfur, Malteser International is in urgent need of donations:

Donation Account 120 120 120 Bank fuer Sozialwirtschaft, Woerthstr.15-17, D-50668 Koeln Sort Code 370 205 00, IBAN : DE49 3702 0500 0001 0258 01, BIC: BFSWDE33XXX Reference: 'Sudan'

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