John Muto-Ono p'Lajur
16 July 2002
The number of people who take refugee at night in Lacor Hospital in Gulu has jumped to 27,520 from 553 on July 2 as of Sunday.
The Medical Superintendent Dr. C.P. Opira yesterday said he had to call an emergency meeting to handle the crisis.
Lacor is located 4km north-west of Gulu. It occupies 500 square metres of land and normally has a population of about 2,000 people, comprising patients, their attendants and workers.
Influx into Lacor Hospital follows persistent rebel raids into the nearby villages, forcing the people to look for protection in the hospital compound.
The hospital administrator A.K. Banya said the hospital could handle up to 20,000 displaced people if there were adequate tents and pit latrines.
"This is getting our of hand. We recommended that the district gets alternative sites where these people could be relocated."
Dr. Opira expressed fears that disease could break out at the hospital because hygiene cannot be enforced with that large number.
The LCI chairman of Obiya East, Tarsis Anywar said the influx into the hospital begins as early as 5:00 p.m.
He said a watchman was beaten when he tried to prevent people from going into the hospital.
The chairman LCV Lt. Col. Ochora-Odoch said he would hold discussions with the hospital staff over the crisis.
The crisis in Lacor comes in the wake of warnings from aid agencies of an impending famine in the north.
Many of the displaced people have not been able to farm, and donors have not distributed food for the last one month due to insecurity.
Over 500,000 people face starvation, World Food Programme told IRIN.
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