August 18, 2023
2 mins read

Violence imperils Sudan hospitals

39 out of 59 basic hospitals in the capital and the states near the conflict zones are out of service….reports Asian Lite News

Al Nao hospital, the last operating health facility in Omdurman city northwest of the Sudanese capital Khartoum, is threatened by the escalating violence, Doctors Without Border (MSF) said.

“Violence is now escalating around Al Nao hospital, threatening patients and staff. Yesterday, shells landed to the north and southwest of the hospital,” the organisation said in a statement.

On days when the nearby fighting is at its heaviest, Al Nao mostly receives people injured by the violence, although it remains available for patients with other medical emergencies, it said.

It noted that the insecurity also affects hospital staff, as medics have to work double shifts when it is too dangerous for their colleagues to travel.

“As medics in Al Nao work round the clock, shells are landing nearby, causing yet more horror and threatening the hospital’s lifesaving work,” Frauke Ossig, MSF emergency coordinator in Sudan, said in the statement.

Ossig called on the fighting parties to spare civilians from the unacceptable violence and ensure the protection of hospitals and healthcare workers, warning that “if hospitals cannot function, there will be even more misery and suffering.”

From July 29 to August 11, the MSF staff at the Al Nao hospital worked alongside teams from the Sudanese Ministry of Health, providing emergency trauma care to 808 patients, 447 of whom had suffered injuries caused by gunshots, shrapnel from explosions, or stabbings, said the statement.

In the same period, the hospital treated 787 patients for other medical conditions, including diabetes, respiratory infections, and hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases.

Each day, the medical staff at Al Nao treated an average of 34 patients with violent trauma injuries, and 77 with other medical conditions, it said.

MSF supports eight hospitals in Khartoum state on both sides of the front lines, with staff working in hospitals in the cities of Khartoum and Omdurman.

In addition to Al Nao, MSF also provides care for wounded patients at Bashair Teaching Hospital and the Turkish Hospital in southern Khartoum.

Meanwhile, five international and local organisations have warned of the possibility of the collapse of the health sector in Sudan as more than 70 percent of hospitals are out of service.

Outbreaks of diseases such as malaria, measles and typhoid had been detected in a number of areas of Sudan, said a joint statement released on Thursday by the World Health Organization, Unicef, and Sudanese health organizations.

According to previous reports by the Sudanese Ministry of Health, 39 out of 59 basic hospitals in the capital and the states near the conflict zones are out of service.

Sudan has been witnessing deadly clashes between the country’s armed forces and paramilitary forces in Khartoum and other areas since April 15, resulting in at least 3,000 deaths and more than 6,000 injuries, according to official figures.

ALSO READ: UN: Sudan Conflict Sparks Major Humanitarian Crisis

Previous Story

FANR gears up for COP28 with nuclear initiatives for future

Next Story

At G20 meet, UK announces £210 mn to tackle antimicrobial resistance

Latest from -Top News

Palestine Seeks Record UK Compensation

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas cites international law, seeking compensation for land and perceived injustices during British rule….reports Asian Lite News Britain faces a £2 trillion reparations claim from the Palestinian Authority

Khalistan Network Under Fire in Canada

Indian agencies regularly share intelligence with their Canadian counterparts, including on groups like Babbar Khalsa International, but the current focus is firmly on SFJ….reports Asian Lite News The arrest of Inderjeet Singh

India, France Hold Nuclear Talks

The meeting, held on Monday, reviewed progress in bilateral civil nuclear cooperation and explored avenues to deepen the strategic partnership…reports Asian Lite News India and France convened the second meeting of their

Trump to Meet Pak PM at UNGA

The US President has already engaged with Pakistan’s military leadership, having hosted Army Chief Asim Munir for a lunch meeting in June….reports Asian Lite News The White House announced on Monday that

EU’s Kallas Calls India ‘Reliable’ Partner

The EU said its closer partnership with India is increasingly becoming vital in the wake of the shifting geopolitical realities…reports Asian Lite News European Union’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas has reaffirmed that
Go toTop

Don't Miss

Sudan prosecutors accuse ex-PM Hamdok of ‘inciting war’

Fifteen other people, including journalists and politicians who like Hamdok

High ranking Sudan police killed in fresh protests

A high-ranking Sudanese police officer was killed during fresh protests