Dubai – Masaader News
For 20 years, Doctor Evan Atar Adaha has been providing medical services to the conflict-affected people of Sudan and South Sudan and, on Monday, he received the 2018 Nansen Refugee Award, a prestigious prize given annually by the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) to honour the women and men who work tirelessly to provide life-saving help to people caught in humanitarian crises.
“I’m really humbled to be the winner of this award,” he told Radio Miraya, which is part of UNMISS; the UN’s Mission in South Sudan. “I think it will be good for us in the hospital… and we will be able to get at least some resources to continue to save lives in the area which is really isolated”.
South Sudan, the world’s youngest nation, gained independence from Sudan in 2011 after a peaceful referendum. However, a civil conflict now in its fifth year has forced almost 1.9 million to flee their homes within the country, and another 2.5 million to seek refuge across the border.
“The crisis in South Sudan has had a devastating impact on millions of people uprooted from their homes, or whose lives have been torn apart by conflict, violence and food insecurity,” said Filippo Grandi, UNHCR’s High Commissioner. “Yet, even in the midst of tragedy, acts of heroism and service to others have emerged”.