“We found more than 400 children with malnutrition. In these 400 children, more than 100 were severely malnourished. And such figures are really alarming and clearly show that we are in a real emergency,” said Amigo.

Medical teams also found numerous cases of malaria and diarrhea and respiratory and eye infections. In addition, many of the refugees have chronic health problems, indicating they did not have access to health care in Blue Nile State.

What’s more, drinking water is so scarce in Il Fug that Doctors Without Borders is setting up a water treatment unit there. Drinking water is also in short supply in Doro.

Immediate evacuations needed

Amigo said among those treated in Il Fug was a woman who had been shot five times in the back, as well as in her right arm and fingers. He says she is about 70 years old and was unable to escape when ground forces attacked her village. Her family also reported planes bombing the area.

“The priority is to use trucks to relocate by trucks the 20,000 refugees in Il Fug more in the south. And this process must not start tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, but right now,” he said.

MSF said in some cases, the Sudanese refugees walked for weeks to reach safety in South Sudan.