عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Interviews

MSF Chief: Sudan’s Situation Worst We’ve Ever Seen

International President of Doctors Without Borders (MSF) Christos Christou
International President of Doctors Without Borders (MSF) Christos Christou
TT
TT

MSF Chief: Sudan’s Situation Worst We’ve Ever Seen

International President of Doctors Without Borders (MSF) Christos Christou
International President of Doctors Without Borders (MSF) Christos Christou

The health situation in Sudan is “the worst ever,” according to Christos Christou, the international president of Doctors Without Borders (MSF).
Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Christou warned that conditions are deteriorating rapidly due to severe challenges in movement, a limited presence of international aid organizations, and inadequate funding from donors.
Christou reported that more than 70% of health facilities have shut down, and malnutrition is on the rise.
He predicted a surge in malaria and cholera cases with the rainy season approaching.
The ongoing conflict between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has caused the world’s fastest-growing displacement crisis, worsening malnutrition among children and pregnant women.
Remaining health facilities are overwhelmed and at risk of collapse due to increasing violence, attacks, and looting.
During his recent visit to Sudan, Christou met with Deputy Chairman of the Sovereignty Council Malik Agar and senior health officials to discuss ways to improve humanitarian aid delivery.
Christou described the patterns of displacement, malnutrition, and other humanitarian needs in Sudan as “deeply troubling.”
He noted that humanitarian aid is not reaching enough people and stressed the urgent need to “scale up the humanitarian response.” This, he added, requires guarantees of protection from all warring parties.
According to Christou, one in three patients treated by the organization suffers from war-related injuries, with most being women and children. He called on all fighting parties to “do everything possible to protect civilians.”
“We have heard many patient testimonies about violence driven by ethnic motives, especially in Darfur,” Christou said.
MSF is in constant contact with all warring parties to ensure healthcare continues.
“We must remind them to follow international humanitarian law, protect civilians and infrastructure, and not use weapons in health facilities,” added the MSF president.
Christou emphasized that MSF provides life-saving healthcare to all in need in Sudan, remaining neutral and impartial.

Most Viewed

 
 
Interviews

Hevolution CEO Discusses Career in Innovation, Medicine, and Business

Dr. Mehmood Khan, CEO of the Hevolution Foundation
Dr. Mehmood Khan, CEO of the Hevolution Foundation
TT
TT

Hevolution CEO Discusses Career in Innovation, Medicine, and Business

Dr. Mehmood Khan, CEO of the Hevolution Foundation
Dr. Mehmood Khan, CEO of the Hevolution Foundation

Dr. Mehmood Khan, CEO of the Hevolution Foundation, the largest philanthropy organization funding aging medicine in the world, expressed that receiving Saudi citizenship will boost his scientific and practical capabilities.
He said this new status will help him advance his research, especially in addressing aging.
This comes as part of a recent royal decree granting Saudi citizenship to several notable scholars, doctors, researchers, and innovators.
“Our Chairman, his Royal Highness (Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman), has very high expectations of our work and the impact we need to do; We were created in part because of his vision,” Khan told Asharq Al-Awsat.
“Living up to the expectations and challenges we get faced with is itself exciting, but it is challenging,” revealed Khan, affirming that Hevolution’s team is “up to that task.”
Khan, who has experience in both corporate and medical fields, told Asharq Al-Awsat that his work across academic, public, and private sectors has been a continuous learning process, with each area enhancing the others.
According to the CEO, these industries are interconnected, and combining their strengths often leads to the best solutions.
This insight inspired the Hevolution initiative, which brings together the scientific community, NGOs, pharmaceutical companies, policymakers, academia, biotech firms, CEOs, and others to promote healthy aging.
Khan highlighted the value of integrating insights from different sectors.
Academia provides detailed research, the public sector offers insights on population health and regulations, and the corporate world brings innovation and efficiency, explained Khan, adding that by merging these perspectives, the world can tackle complex health challenges more effectively.
“We’ve been working through, and are now investing, funding and partnering with over 200 scientists around the world, and over 150 different university labs,” said Khan.
Hevolution uses this integrated approach to advance healthy aging.
This initiative embodies my passion for addressing major challenges and offers a significant opportunity to make a global impact.
Khan talked about the first $400 million commitment Hevolution made in the last 23 months, calling it “unprecedented.”
“There has never been a non-profit organization in the world that has gone from not existing to now becoming the largest philanthropy funding aging biology and medicine in the world,” affirmed Khan.
Khan stressed that work at Hevolution not only pushes scientific boundaries but also promotes cross-sector collaboration to improve global health outcomes.
Since Khan’s early days in medical school, he’s been deeply interested in nutrition and population health, which was an unconventional focus back then. This journey set the foundation for his later work in community health.
Khan’s time as an endocrinology faculty member at the Mayo Clinic was crucial. He led programs on diabetes, endocrine diseases, metabolism, and nutrition, which strengthened his expertise in designing disease prevention systems.
In the private sector, Khan took on a key role at Takeda Pharmaceutical as the global head of R&D, which shaped his approach to innovative healthcare solutions.
At PepsiCo, as Chief Scientific Officer, he learned crucial principles of scale, impact, transformation, and tackling global challenges.
As CEO of Hevolution, Khan uses all his professional experience to advance the foundation’s mission of developing health sciences to address age-related diseases.
Khan serves on the boards of Reckitt Benckiser and the Saudi Research, Development, and Innovation Authority (RDIA).
He is the CEO of Life Biosciences, a member of Saudi Arabia’s biotechnology strategy committee, and the chair of the advanced technology visiting committee at the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
Khan told Asharq Al-Awsat that he feels honored to have recently become a Saudi citizen by royal decree, while also holding dual US and UK citizenship. This helps him lead Hevolution effectively and work closely with international partners.
Khan commented on his recent Saudi citizenship, saying that in addition to feeling honored to receive Saudi citizenship by royal decree, alongside other distinguished individuals, this recognition is a great privilege.
Being a Saudi citizen, as per Khan, is a significant milestone and acknowledges the progress in his work in aging science and global health. It also strengthens Khan’s commitment to the work at Hevolution.
Khan noted that this new status enhances his ability to build relationships and collaborate within the Kingdom and internationally. It offers a deeper connection with the local community and better opportunities to engage with policymakers and leaders.
He also said that this recognition boosts Hevolution’s global presence and credibility, making the foundation’s collaborations with international scientists and business leaders stronger. It positions Hevolution as a key player in addressing age-related diseases.
Khan emphasized that this honor reflects the hard work and innovation of Hevolution’s entire team.
The CEO said that it was collective efforts that have made this achievement possible.
Khan also said he is excited to engage more deeply with the scientific and medical community in the Kingdom, adding that his new citizenship helps him contribute to Vision 2030 and the national biotechnology strategy, promoting innovation and attracting top global talent.