The health system in Sudan is suffering, with massive shortage of medical staff and supplies, said Dr. Javid Abdelmoneim, International President of Doctors Without Borders (MSF).
Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Abdelmoneim said a large number of hospitals have been damaged, or completely out of service, amid widespread disease outbreaks like cholera and measles, pushing an already fragile health system to the brink.
Earlier, the World Health Organization said about 65% of the population lack access to healthcare and between 70 – 80% of health facilities are not functioning due to the ongoing conflict between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces in April 2023.
Abdelmoneim said assistance in Sudan is urgent, including in the fields of maternal and childcare, treatment of injuries, infant and childbirth, infectious diseases, and malnutrition.
Also, the population in Sudan is in urgent need of safe drinking water, sanitation services, psychological support, and assistance for survivors of sexual violence due to the ongoing humanitarian crisis.
He reported that access to health service facilities remains severely restricted due to insecurity and persistent bureaucratic obstacles.
Abdelmoneim noted that while MSF is not directly affected by these restrictions, other humanitarian organizations face an additional hurdle of limited funding and reduced aid.
Concerning the situation in El Fasher, the official said MSF treated residents who had been trapped in the city, which was under siege by the RSF for approximately 500 days.
After the RSF took control of the city, many survivors fled, often walking 60 km to the nearby town of Tawila, where MSF teams provided emergency medical care.
Abdelmoneim said the survivors arrived exhausted, malnourished, dehydrated, with traumatic injuries, gunshot wounds, and infected wounds.
On their journeys, they saw many dead bodies, and suffered torture, kidnappings for ransom, sexual violence, humiliation, and had everything they owned stolen, he said.
Concerning civilians who were still alive in El Fasher before 26 October, Abdelmoneim said they faced extreme violence including massacres, ethnic cleansing inside the city, and while escaping.
100 Violence Incidents
Abdelmoneim then mentioned the attacks on health care facilities, resulting in deaths and injuries.
He said that since April 2023, MSF has documented 100 incidents of violence targeting its staff, facilities, vehicles and supplies, including looting and destruction of clinics, theft of medicines, assaults, and threats to health workers.
