Kampala, August 24 (Darfur24)
Health sources warned on Sunday of deteriorating conditions at Al-Jalabi prison in Al-Daein, East Darfur, amid water shortages, poor sanitation and the spread of disease among inmates.
Sources told Darfur24 that prisoners were living in conditions that could lead to a humanitarian disaster due to a lack of basic services.
The prison reportedly lacks safe drinking water and adequate sanitation, while waste has accumulated inside the wards and drainage systems have overflowed. Sources said the poor conditions had contributed to an increase in skin and intestinal diseases among inmates.
An official told Darfur24 that the continued deterioration posed a serious threat to prisoners’ lives and could also endanger public health beyond the prison.
He appealed to humanitarian and human rights organizations to intervene urgently by providing water and addressing sanitation problems.
Al-Jalabi, the main prison in East Darfur, has faced severe overcrowding since the war began in April 2023, with rising numbers of detainees and shortages of staff and funding.
Security sources said the prison, located about 20 kilometres east of Al-Daein, currently holds around 570 detainees, including about 170 people arrested during recent campaigns against what authorities described as negative phenomena in the city.
The prison administration and human rights groups have repeatedly raised concerns about conditions over the past two years, particularly during the hot and rainy seasons when waterborne diseases and flies become more prevalent.
In March 2025, hospitals in Al-Daein recorded dozens of cases of watery diarrhea and skin infections among inmates transferred from the prison for treatment, prompting health authorities to warn that the facility could become an “epidemic hotspot.”
Human rights activists have called for humanitarian organizations to be allowed access to provide water and sanitation services and for detainees held in minor cases to be released to reduce overcrowding.