Background

Most people living in the Mayo Camp, about 20 kilometres from Khartoum, are internally displaced people and refugees. They are victims of the wars that have been tearing apart Sudan and its neighbours for the past 20 years. However, it is no longer possible to call it a refugee camp, due to its de facto permanence: the majority of families now living there have been doing so for years. Within the camp, living conditions are still extremely unstable. A lack of running water; no sewage system, and poverty put a heavy strain on the health of children, who make up 50% of the camp’s inhabitants.  

In 2005, we opened the Mayo Paediatric Centre. It remains the only free healthcare facility available to the local population and delivers essential medical services for children under the age of 14. The illnesses we commonly encounter are direct consequences of living conditions in the camp: gastrointestinal and respiratory tract infections, malnutrition, and malaria. Easily remedied, these conditions can – if left untreated – lead to more serious problems. After assessing needs in Mayo, broadened the scope of our work at the clinic, introducing obstetric and gynaecological services in order to perform check-ups on pregnant and breastfeeding women.