United Nations Radio

The UN health agency -WHO and other UN agencies have started planning for the return of thousands of displaced people to their homes in Abyei as calm returns to the central-western Sudanese town.

The World Health Organization says for the time being the response and relief efforts in the region of Abyei is focused outside the city itself and in the neighboring villages where about 60,000 internally displaced people went after fleeing the fighting.

Dr. Khalid Shibib is a senior official with WHO's Department on Health action in crisis recovery and transition programmes.

He says infectious disease outbreaks, a lack of safe drinking water and malnutrition posed serious health threats to people displaced to cramped settlements and villages.

"The IDP's and also the local population are actually facing the usual communicable diseases that are prevalent in Sudan- malaria is a big risk, acute respiratory infection, diarrhea but also eye diseases, sin diseases etc."

Dr. Shibib says WHO is working with other partners and local health actors to support health programmes including preventive health and health education to control and prevent the rise of water-borne and water-related diseases.

This is Donn Bobb reporting for United Nations Radio.

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