‘Nearly all toilets out of use’ in Darfur’s Nyala camp

03/11/2015 13:50

Problems with the water supply in a camp near Nyala, South Darfur, have caused toilets to overflow and lead to a spread of illnesses.

Members of the South Darfur Parliament already criticised the huge deficit in the supply of drinking water in the state, and the water corporation’s failure to meet the growing need for drinking water by enlarging its production capacities.

Now, displaced people in Kalma camp complained about the spread of illnesses because of flooded toilets, along with the interruptions in the camp’s water supply. Saleh Eisa Mohamed, secretary of Kalma, told Radio Dabanga that 4,500 of the 7,800 toilets are filled, while 3,200 of them need maintenance.

He explained that the fluctuating water supply is a result of irregular water pumping for the last four months. He pointed out that sometimes, “the water is pumped only for three hours in the morning and the evening, and sometimes cut for two or three days”. This means that the displaced people have to fetch unsafe water from the valleys and wells, reportedly causing the spread of diseases among residents – diarrhoea in particular.

Eisa Mohamed called upon the organisations that work in the field of water to address the issues. An Urban Planning Ministry report on Thursday stated that the water shortage in South Darfur represents 80 percent of the needs of the population.

Problems with the water supply in a camp near Nyala, South Darfur, have caused toilets to overflow and lead to a spread of illnesses.

Members of the South Darfur Parliament recently criticised the huge deficit in the supply of drinking water in the state, and the water corporation’s failure to meet the growing need for drinking water by enlarging its production capacities.

Now, displaced people in Kalma camp complained about the spread of illnesses because of flooded toilets, along with the interruptions in the camp's water supply. Saleh Eisa Mohamed, secretary of Kalma, told Radio Dabanga that 4,500 of the 7,800 toilets are overflowing, while 3,200 are in need of maintenance.

He explained that the fluctuating water supply is a result of irregular water pumping for the last four months. He pointed out that often, “the water is pumped only for three hours in the morning and the evening, and sometimes cut for two or three days”. This means that the displaced people have to fetch unsafe water from the valleys and wells, reportedly causing the spread of diseases among residents – diarrhoea in particular.

Eisa Mohamed called upon the organisations that work in the field of water to address the issues. An Urban Planning Ministry report on Thursday stated that the water shortage in South Darfur represents 80 percent of the actual needs of the population.