UAE aid team visits patients at field hospital in Chad treating Sudanese refugees

Medical centre was set up last month under directives of President Sheikh Mohamed

The UAE's humanitarian delegation visits a field hospital in Amdjarass, Chad, set up to treat Sudanese refugees. All photos: Wam

The hospital was opened last month to provide vital care to those who fled the conflict in Sudan between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.

Rashid Al Shamsi, UAE Ambassador to Chad, opened the hospital in the city of Amdjarass.

The field hospital was opened under the directive of President Sheikh Mohamed.

Mr Al Shamsi was joined by a number of Chadian government officials including the Health Minister.

Mr Al Shamsi was also joined by representatives of the Emirati institutions supervising the implementation of the project and the Emirati medical team.

The UAE has delivered nearly 2,000 tonnes of medical, food and relief packages to Port Sudan since the conflict began in April.

The UAE's humanitarian relief team in Chad has visited patients at a field hospital established by the Emirates to deliver treatment to Sudanese refugees who fled conflict in their home country.

The facility in Amdjarass was set up on July 9 to serve large numbers of Sudanese people seeking sanctuary in the neighbouring Central African country.

It was opened under the directives of President Sheikh Mohamed and treated more than 1,200 refugees in its first 10 days.

It is focused on cases involving women, children, the elderly and those with chronic illnesses.

A delegation led by the Emirates Red Crescent, the Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation and the Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation is lending support in Chad, including distributing food supplies to refugees and the local community.

Dr Ahmed Al Dhaheri, head of the Emirates Red Crescent delegation in Chad, said the hospital visit was made to check on the health and well-being of patients and offer them support, state news agency Wam reported on Monday.

“The patients thanked the delegation for its humanitarian initiative, and also expressed their thanks to the medical staff at the field hospital for the distinguished health care provided to them,” Wam reported.

Crucial assistance

Hundreds of thousands of Sudanese people have crossed the border to Chad to flee fighting, which began in April.

The Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces are engaged in a power struggle which has become one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, with hundreds dead and millions displaced.

Since the conflict started on April 15, the UAE has operated an air and sea bridge to the region, transporting nearly 2,000 tonnes of medical, food and relief materials to Port Sudan and Chad.

Attempts to secure a peaceful resolution to the three-month war have been unsuccessful.

The Sudanese civil aviation authority has extended the closure of Sudan's airspace until August 15, except for humanitarian aid and evacuation flights, Khartoum International Airport said on Monday.

Sudanese airspace has been closed to regular traffic since conflict between the country's army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces began in mid-April.