Sudan’s street children in t of covid-19

Last updated on September 28th, 2021 at 09:20 am

Street children in Soudan, more than 15 thousand and 5,000 living in the capital Khartoum’s streets are at great danger , these kids are left in the clutches of coronavirus ! how to protect them and who will do it?

A number of officials in the health and social welfare sector in Sudan warned that street children could become an “incubator” of the disease caused by the Coronavirus, given the poor health conditions they live in daily.

Saber Makki, a doctor at the Al Naw Hospital in the city of Omdurman, confirms that most of the street children suffer from diseases caused by weak immunity, malnutrition or other chronic diseases, which increases the risk of developing the Coronavirus.

Mekki explains how most of the street children live in unhealthy environments, and lack basic hygiene, and meet and come across a lot of people, making them more vulnerable to infections generally and to the covid -19 specially.

Ishraqa Al-Ghali, Director of Social Welfare in the Sudanese Social Development Ministry confirms that the ministry, since the beginning of the virus spread in China and its transmission to other places, is implementing measures within the framework of the national emergency plan to protect street children and other Vulnerable groups.

Al-Ghali says that the Ministry of Social Development has intensified awareness-raising efforts in all shelters and centers affiliated to it, as well as sending field teams of researchers and specialists.

The Ministry of Social Development coordinated efforts with the Ministry of Health teams and civil society organizations in this regard. According to El-Ghali.

Inshirah Sharif, Director of Riyada Capacity Building, stresses the need to put street children at the center of any national plan for Corona virus, given the nature of their lives and the risks that may arise when the virus spreads among them.

Sharif indicates that, based on this understanding, many specialized organizations and societies have organized awareness campaigns, and sterilization and cleaning materials have been provided to many of these children in many gathering places.

Sharif pointed to the many formal and societal efforts that were made to rehabilitate and equip the shelters for this fragile segment in the face of a pandemic that burdened rich and poor countries .