On Thursday, Libya’s Parliament-designated Prime Minister, Osama Hammad announced that his government plans to extend its national vaccination campaign to cover Sudanese children who have fled to Libya amidst Sudan’s ongoing conflict.
This effort, led by Libya’s National Center for Disease Control, aims to address the urgent health needs of Sudanese refugee children now residing in the southern Libyan town of Kufra. Ismail Al-Ayda, head of the Emergency Response Unit at the Ministry of Health, explained that specific vaccination centers have been set up to provide services for Sudanese children in need.
Al-Ayda noted that the influx of Sudanese refugees poses significant challenges, particularly for Kufra’s healthcare sector, which is strained by limited resources and rising demands. As refugee numbers grow, Al-Ayda emphasized that healthcare staff are struggling to meet critical needs, given the medical supply and capacity shortages.
He also pointed out that serious health issues have emerged among the displaced population, with cases of HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, malaria, and drug-resistant tuberculosis being reported.
The refugee crisis in Kufra has escalated since Sudan’s civil conflict intensified in April 2023. According to the International Medical Corps, an estimated 65,000 Sudanese nationals have crossed into Libya, concentrating heavily in southern regions like Kufra.
The influx has severely strained local infrastructure, overwhelming healthcare facilities and basic services in the region. Humanitarian organizations warn of an urgent crisis, as Kufra’s resources are pushed to their limits by the daily arrival of displaced people.
Refugee arrivals in southern Libya have been estimated at a rate of 1,000 to 1,800 people per day, and it is anticipated that the total number of Sudanese refugees in Libya could reach 150,000 by the end of the year.
This surge has added pressure to an already resource-limited healthcare system, with Kufra’s medical facilities working to address the needs of local residents and the swelling refugee population.
