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Sudan Suffers From Medical Supplies Crisis

A customer buys medication at a pharmacy in Khartoum January 13, 2013. REUTERS/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah
A customer buys medication at a pharmacy in Khartoum January 13, 2013. REUTERS/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah
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Sudan Suffers From Medical Supplies Crisis

A customer buys medication at a pharmacy in Khartoum January 13, 2013. REUTERS/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah
A customer buys medication at a pharmacy in Khartoum January 13, 2013. REUTERS/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah

Scarcity of foreign exchange resources in Sudan has affected the import of drugs and medical supplies and cut the operating capacity of the country's pharmaceutical industry by half, the Sudanese government revealed on Tuesday.

Pharmacies in the capital Khartoum have been suffering severe shortages of life-saving medicines since early March.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Sudan warned that the economic crisis continues to impact the country’s import of medicines and medical supplies.

“While the imports of medicine in 2019 improved slightly compared to 2018, the levels were 20 percent below of 2017,” according to the latest update from the Central Bank of Sudan (CBoS).

This has decreased the amount of available medicines in both government and private sectors compared to previous years, the Federal Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO) reported.

The 4th quarter of 2019 by CBoS indicates that Sudan imported US$367 million worth of medicine in 2019., according to the Foreign Trade Statistical Digest. While this is an increase of about $47 million (15 percent) compared to 2018, it is $91 million (20 percent) lower compared to 2017, it added.

For its part, the Ministry of Industry and Trade said it was preparing a plan to develop the country's pharmaceutical industry to achieve self-sufficiency.

Head of the pharmaceutical department at the Ministry of Industry Dr. Hanadi Ata al-Fadil confirmed to Asharq Al-Awsat that there is a huge gap in covering the local consumption of drugs.

She pointed out that Sudan has 27 drug manufacturing plants, only 19 of which operate at half of their capacity and cover about 45 percent of the country's needs.

The local pharmaceutical industry produces enough antibiotics, blood pressure and diabetes drugs only, while life-saving medicines are imported, she added.

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Baghdad Urges Washington to Prevent ‘Imminent’ Israeli Strikes

Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
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Baghdad Urges Washington to Prevent ‘Imminent’ Israeli Strikes

Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani on Thursday called on major powers to “exert greater efforts to end the war in Palestine and Lebanon.” Meanwhile, an Iraqi government official urged the United States to “prevent any attacks on the country,” referring to potential Israeli strikes.
During a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Al-Sudani stressed the importance of ensuring the conflict does not escalate “to a level that threatens regional and global stability.”
The Iraqi prime minister’s appeal comes amid reports suggesting that Israel may launch strikes on Iraq in retaliation for attacks by Iraqi armed factions targeting Israeli positions.
The Iraqi government is striving to assert its exclusive authority over weapons and war-related decisions. However, armed factions affiliated with the Axis of Resistance openly claim responsibility for near-daily rocket attacks on Israel. This has provided Israel with a justification for potentially targeting Iraqi territory, especially after it filed a complaint with the UN Security Council against six Iraqi factions and held Baghdad responsible for the attacks.
These factions have also openly declared their involvement in the ongoing conflict with Israel in Lebanon and Gaza. The Iraqi government has been unable to take decisive action to halt the activities of these factions, which many believe could soon expose Iraq to an Israeli strike.
According to media reports, Washington has warned Baghdad that Israeli airstrikes on Iraq are “imminent” unless the Iraqi government curtails attacks by Iranian-backed factions on Israel. The Times of Israel cited sources indicating that the United States has “exhausted all means of pressure on Israel” and urged Iraq to act swiftly to prevent such attacks.
Despite repeated assurances from the Iraqi government—including its recent adoption of 12 measures by the National Security Council to counter Israeli threats and complaints—the situation remains tense. These measures include monitoring Iraq’s western borders, preventing factions from launching attacks, and maintaining Iraq’s neutrality in the ongoing conflict.
On Wednesday, Abu Hussein Al-Hamidawi, Secretary-General of Kata’ib Hezbollah, made a striking statement on the role of resistance factions in the war and their commitment to the Unity of Fronts doctrine frequently mentioned by Axis of Resistance groups.
In an interview published by the faction’s media arm, Al-Hamidawi said: “The continuity of the Unity of Fronts concept depends on what the Lebanese Hezbollah decides.”
Al-Hamidawi also emphasized that resistance factions are constantly coordinating internally and with external partners such as Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Palestinian resistance leaders.
“We aim to ensure that the Palestinian people are not left alone and that the Unity of Fronts remains intact,” he stated.
Fadi Al-Shammari, a political advisor to Sudani, reiterated that Israel’s threats “are not new,” citing the recent complaint filed by Israel with the UN Security Council as part of its pattern of issuing threats.
In media statements, Al-Shammari reaffirmed the Iraqi government’s long-standing position: “The decision of war and peace lies solely with the Iraqi government.”
He noted that the factions’ attacks are being launched from areas outside Iraq’s borders, specifically from Syria. However, he stressed that the Iraqi government is working through its security and military agencies to prevent Iraq from becoming a battlefield for external or internal parties.
Al-Shammari also called on the United States to fulfill its responsibilities under the Strategic Framework Agreement and security pact with Iraq, emphasizing the need to deter and respond to any external attacks that threaten Iraq’s internal security.