Sudanese healthcare professionals face perilous conditions as ongoing conflict severely damages the nation’s medical facilities. The war has resulted in thousands of fatalities and severe humanitarian crises, including widespread malnutrition. Doctors are compelled to provide care despite the risks to their safety and the overwhelming burden placed upon the healthcare system, which has been largely incapacitated.
In Sudan, the medical community has been significantly affected by ongoing hostilities between rival military factions. Dr. Mohamed Moussa, a physician at Al-Nao Hospital in Omdurman, describes the horrifying conditions under which he and his colleagues work, often with shelling and gunfire resonating around them. Despite the growing violence, which has escalated since April 2023, and resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and millions displaced, these healthcare workers persevere in providing care to the injured. Alarming reports indicate that the healthcare system, already fragile before the conflict, has deteriorated further. Close to half of the hospitals in Khartoum have been damaged since the conflict began, and attacks on healthcare facilities have become widespread, with at least 119 recorded by the World Health Organization.
The ongoing conflict, characterized by assaults on hospitals and medical personnel, reflects utter neglect for civilian safety. Physicians are caught in a perilous situation where their lives are endangered by both warring factions, which perceive them as either allies of the opposing side or as a threat. Recent incidents have underscored these dangers, including a shooting at Bashair Hospital that led medical charity Doctors Without Borders to suspend operations there. In addition to treating war-related injuries, healthcare providers are also confronting the rising crisis of malnutrition, particularly among children, as the country faces acute hunger.
As the humanitarian situation continues to worsen, the medical community is appealing for immediate support to sustain services, warning that without intervention, further decline is imminent. Dr. Moussa epitomizes the resilience of medical professionals in Sudan, stating the obligation they feel toward their patients and communities, despite the unbearable circumstances in which they operate.
The current healthcare crisis in Sudan has emerged as a result of intense armed conflict between military factions, primarily between army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo. The violence has wreaked havoc on the already weakened healthcare system, leading to widespread facility damages and an overwhelming influx of casualties. Humanitarian organizations, including the International Rescue Committee and Doctors Without Borders, have documented the catastrophic consequences of this conflict, highlighting the death toll, population displacement, and deteriorating health conditions. The affected regions are witnessing severe shortages of medical supplies and widespread malnutrition, further exacerbating the crisis.
The ongoing war in Sudan has thrust healthcare workers into an untenable situation where they are forced to battle both the effects of violent conflict and a crumbling medical infrastructure. As the number of attacks on health facilities rises and medical resources dwindle dramatically, doctors like Mohamed Moussa continue their efforts under dire circumstances. The international community must recognize the desperate need for humanitarian aid to address critical shortages and protect those who are desperately working to save lives amidst chaos.
Original Source: www.barrons.com
