Living with incontinence in refugee camps (Gedaref, Sudan) – Case Study

This study has found that displaced people from the Tigray region in Eastern Sudan experience extreme challenges to manage incontinence. They lack access to the right hygiene products and commodities, sanitation facilities and right amount of water. They also experience isolation and discrimination, and lack proper health care. The study showed that addressing incontinence requires integrated health care, MHPSS and WASH services to ensure dignity and wellbeing.

Incontinence can be investigated within wider WASH and health assessments, with tailored and tested tools that include the right language. Incontinence is a sensitive matter to be discussed in privacy, preferably in separate discussion groups or individual interviews. It is widely unknown by most of the population, so staff engaged in assessments may need to provide careful explanations without adding a bias effect to the responses.