Hundreds of thousands of people in Akobo, Jonglei state, South Sudan, are confronting a dire humanitarian crisis as a government-forces led offensive on the town looms. Following evacuation orders issued on March 6, the population, which includes over 17,000 recently displaced individuals, faces an impossible choice: flee without protection or remain at risk of death, while simultaneously losing access to vital healthcare and essential services.

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has issued an urgent call to all parties involved in the conflict, demanding the protection of civilians, the establishment of safe zones for those seeking shelter, secure access to humanitarian aid and essential medical care, and the safeguarding of health facilities to ensure their life-saving work can continue. The impending offensive has already brought critical preparations for the upcoming malaria season, along with basic healthcare and vaccination support for both local and displaced communities, to an abrupt halt.

Christophe Garnier, MSF Head of Mission in South Sudan, highlighted the devastating consequences, stating, "Families are being forced to abandon their homes repeatedly, with no safe alternatives. For many who have already been displaced multiple times, there is simply nowhere left to go." On March 7, the MSF team was compelled to evacuate Akobo, leaving hundreds of thousands without access to essential primary healthcare. Reports indicate that some residents have already begun seeking refuge in Ethiopia or the nearby village of Meer.

The humanitarian situation is exacerbated by a disturbing pattern of attacks on medical infrastructure. Akobo hospital, where MSF supported the paediatric ward, was looted, along with their pharmacy, resulting in the complete loss of all medicines and medical supplies. Furthermore, the MSF office was ransacked by unknown assailants. This incident is part of a broader trend: since March 2025, there have been 12 attacks on MSF staff and supported hospitals, leading to the closure of three facilities. In the first two months of 2026 alone, three more attacks have occurred.

This evacuation unfolds amidst escalating violence across Jonglei state. Earlier, on January 29, MSF teams were forced to depart Pieri due to armed clashes, and on February 3, air strikes in Lankien not only claimed civilian lives but also destroyed the last functioning hospital in that town. The conflict has displaced nearly 280,000 people across the region, with approximately 80,000 of those in Akobo county.

Akobo is an isolated area characterized by extremely limited healthcare facilities, making MSF one of the few organizations providing care to an estimated 112,000 people. Just three weeks prior, MSF teams had only recently regained access after government-imposed restrictions blocked flights and medical supplies. They had just commenced assessing newly displaced communities and initiating a crucial malaria response, only to be forced out once more.

"These repeated government-imposed evacuations leave people trapped, exposed to violence, and cut off from humanitarian aid," Garnier emphasized. "We are deeply concerned that Akobo hospital could be hit, depriving communities of the medical care they need to survive." The newly displaced communities, already exhausted and traumatized by recent clashes, are now living in precarious makeshift shelters, lacking safe drinking water, adequate food, or proper protection. Stripped of essential care, they are vulnerable to disease, hunger, and the constant threat of extreme violence. The cumulative impact of repeated evacuations, targeted attacks on health workers and medical facilities, and government-imposed restrictions is severely crippling MSF's capacity to deliver aid precisely when the people of South Sudan are most in need.