Padua, September 23, 2022 – According to UNHCR data (May 2022), last year, people forced to flee due to persecution, conflict, and the violation of human rights, exceeded 100 million for the first time in history.
About a third live in Africa, over 30 million people, including internally displaced persons, refugees, and asylum seekers. The situation is dire and set to worsen because of the current global crisis. Consider that by the end of 2021, the number of refugees under UNHCR’S mandate has increased from 21.3 million to 26.3 million, largely because of the war in Ukraine.
People are fleeing from war, drought, environmental disasters, and hunger. Eighty-five percent of migration is within Africa between African countries or within the same country. This full-fledged emergency is often joined by other fragile situations at many levels, including institutional, political, economic, and health. Doctors with Africa CUAMM has been working for over 70 years for health in Africa with an approach based on developing health systems. This approach is also the starting point for emergency interventions where the specific response to major shocks is joined by strengthening the resilience of systems and communities, always working with local authorities.
CUAMM works in response to the needs of migrants and refugees in: Ethiopia, Mozambique, South Sudan, Uganda, and now called upon to respond to a neighbouring emergency, in Ukraine and Moldova. CUAMM focuses on four lines of intervention: ensuring access to basic health services with outpatient and prenatal visits, vaccinations and assistance for mothers and children, providing medicines and health material; training local workers, raising awareness and educating the population about good hygienic-sanitary practices.
Don Dante Carraro, director of Doctors with Africa CUAMM, explains, “We cannot remain indifferent to the request for help of people forced to flee.” Holding out a hand to our brothers in need, taking care of those who suffer is the duty of every doctor, but above all it is a moral duty for every person of goodwill. Unfortunately, as Doctors with Africa we are asked more and more often to respond to acute, dire situations in many of the countries where we work. On the eve of the World Day of Migrants and Refugees, Pope Francis’ message guides and motivates us because every day in Africa, we experience that “The presence of migrants and refugees represents a great challenge, but at the same time an immense opportunity for the cultural and spiritual growth of everyone. Thanks to them, we have the chance to know better our world and its beautiful diversity. We can grow in our common humanity and build together an ever greater sense of togetherness. Openness to one another creates spaces of fruitful exchange between different visions and traditions, and opens minds to new horizons.”
DETAILS OF CUAMM’S WORK
Ethiopia: About 865,000 refugees from South Sudan, Eritrea, and Somalia. CUAMM is active in the Gambella region, in three of the seven refugee camps. Due to the crisis in Tigray, there are also 4.5 million internally displaced persons. The work also continues in Debre Berhan, in the Amhara region where, according to Ocha data, about 200,000 displaced persons have taken refuge, mainly from the Oromia region. Most live in the community but many are grouped in refugee centers which need all types of support, including health and nutritional services.
Mozambique: The situation in Cabo Delgado in the north continues to be especially tense and difficult. After five years of attacks, 745,000 civilians have fled their homes. There are six camps for internally displaced persons and six health districts, with health centers and hospitals, which CUAMM supports.
South Sudan: About 2.3 million South Sudanese refugees are currently hosted by neighboring countries, and more than 2 million are internally displaced. With the support of 103 health facilities and 5 hospitals, CUAMM doctors seek to bring help to the population of this very fragile country.
Uganda: This is the country in Africa that hosts the most refugees, well over 1.5 million. CUAMM works in West Nile and the Kiryadogo district, providing eye surgery through mobile clinics specifically for the refugee population.
Ukraine: Though the heart of what CUAMM does is in Africa, with the outbreak of a war on its doorstep, it has made its experience and help available to a country where there are now 7.7 million displaced persons and 7.6 million refugees. After first focusing on Chernivsti, on the border with Romania, now CUAMM’s action extends to 27 hospitals in 7 different oblasts and consists in providing medicines, medical material, food and clothing to the population. It provides three ambulances for transferring patients in hospitals and mobile clinics support the health system, which has been hard hit.
Moldova: CUAMM’s effort is concentrated in two refugee centers for a total of over 300 refugees in Chisinau, in agreement with the Ministry of Health and the WHO.
