Many of the displaced are living in deplorable conditions, without access to potable water and food. There are a number of families headed by single women who have lost their husbands during the war. There is a high incidence of malnutrition among children under five years old and most of the children have not been vaccinated. Many people suffer from sleeping sickness and the death rate is increasing among IDPs. Many of the host families who have taken in IDPs are themselves extremely poor and normally live from hand to mouth.
Children have no access to schooling.
Any health facilities that are available do not have the resources to deal with the large numbers of displaced in the centers or with the host families. The efforts of the various NGOs in the area to deal with the situation have been overwhelmed by the influx of fresh IDPs. Due to shortage of local production there is no food security among the displaced resulting in a high rate of malnutrition in some areas. Standing crops were abandoned in the flight for safety and now the IDPs have no means to food security. Many of the IDPs are suffering great psychological trauma, with some having witnessed their relatives killed and many young women and girls raped.