PORTLAND, Ore. – (Aug. 17, 2017) This week, the number of South Sudanese refugees arriving in Uganda reached one million, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

“It is imperative these vulnerable people receive medical care,” said Medical Teams CEO Martha Holley Newsome. “We see and hear heart-wrenching stories of trauma and deprivation every day. The time is now to turn the world’s attention to this tragedy.”

Medical Teams International (Medical Teams) has been working in partnership with the government of Uganda and the UNHCR since 2013, serving refugee families entering massive settlements like Imvepi, Palorinya, or Rhino Camp. Medical Teams provides an initial health screening for each person who crosses the border as well as ongoing medical care such as vaccinations, malaria treatment, and nutritional support. According to the UNHCR, nearly 90 percent of South Sudanese refugees are women and children.

Donations to help refugees fleeing famine and conflict in South Sudan can be made at www.medicalteams.org.