Sudan's Healthcare Crisis Deepens as War Disrupts Drug Supplies and Fuels Smuggling Networks For over three years, the civil war between Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has devastated the country’s healthcare system. Hospitals, health centres, and pharmaceutical factories have been destroyed or rendered inoperable, leaving millions without access to life-saving treatments. Diabetic patients like Murtada Mohieddin, a 50-year-old man in Khartoum North, now face a daily struggle to secure insulin, often finding their supplies spoiled or expired due to poor storage conditions. “Sometimes the insulin is spoiled,” Mohieddin explains, inspecting his limited stock. “You can check the expiration date, but it could still be damaged from poor storage.” His ordeal reflects a broader crisis where medical resources are scarce, unregulated, and often unsafe. The conflict, which began as a power struggle between SAF and RSF, has killed over 50,000 people and displaced 14 million, nearly a quarter of Sudan’s population. The war has crippled domestic pharmaceutical production, leaving the country reliant on a fragmented and unreliable supply chain. Smuggling networks have flourished in the vacuum, flooding markets with unregulated drugs locally known as “Boko” medicines. These include critical intravenous malaria treatments smuggled across borders, which bypass strict temperature controls and quality checks, often resulting in spoiled or toxic products. In Omdurman, pharmacies face a dual crisis: scarcity and contamination. Mutawakil Hamza, a pharmacist there, warns that smuggled medicines are “ultimately injections for intravenous use, and this is highly dangerous to a patient’s health.#world_health_organization #rapid_support_forces #sudanese_armed_forces #murtada_mohieddin #khartoum_north
WHO says attack on Sudan hospital killed 64, including 13 children | Sudan war News | Al Jazeera The World Health Organization confirmed that an attack on a hospital in Sudan’s Darfur region killed at least 64 people, including 13 children, during a drone strike on Friday night. The attack targeted al-Daein Teaching Hospital in al-Daein, the capital of East Darfur state, according to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. He reported that multiple patients, two female nurses, and one male doctor were among the casualties. Another 89 individuals, including eight healthcare workers, were injured. The strike severely damaged the hospital’s pediatric, maternity, and emergency departments, leaving the facility inoperable and disrupting critical medical services in the city. Tedros stated that the attack marked the point at which the total number of fatalities linked to attacks on health facilities during Sudan’s war surpassed 2,000. Over the nearly three-year conflict between Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), WHO has documented 2,036 deaths in 213 attacks on healthcare sites. Sudanese rights group Emergency Lawyers attributed the attack to an army drone strike, highlighting the escalating violence in the region. The war between Sudan’s army and the RSF began in mid-April 2023, triggering one of the world’s fastest-growing humanitarian crises. Tens of thousands have died, over 12 million have been displaced, and more than 33 million people require aid. The RSF controls much of western Darfur, while the Sudanese army holds the east, center, and north. Both sides have faced accusations of war crimes and crimes against humanity, with the RSF linked to atrocities in Darfur that UN experts describe as bearing the hallmarks of genocide.#world_health_organization #tedros_adhanom_ghebreyesus #rapid_support_forces #al_daein_teaching_hospital #sudanese_army
A Strike on a Hospital in Sudan Killed at Least 64 People, WHO Says The World Health Organization confirmed Saturday that a strike on a hospital in Sudan’s western Darfur region killed at least 64 people, including 13 children, and injured at least 89 others. The attack on the Al Daein Teaching Hospital in East Darfur left the facility non-functional, according to WHO chief Tedros Ghebreyesus, who shared the details on X. The incident has intensified calls for an end to the ongoing conflict in Sudan, which has already claimed thousands of lives. The attack occurred last week, marking another grim chapter in the country’s protracted violence. Sudan’s war, which erupted in April 2023, began with a power struggle between the military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The RSF has accused the military of targeting civilian infrastructure, including medical facilities, while the army has denied responsibility for the hospital strike. Two military officials, speaking anonymously due to restrictions on public discussion, claimed the strike was intended for a nearby police station. The conflict has resulted in widespread devastation, with the United Nations reporting over 40,000 deaths. However, aid groups argue that these figures are likely underestimates, as access to affected areas remains limited. The WHO has highlighted that more than 2,000 people have been killed in attacks on medical facilities since the war began. Ghebreyesus condemned the violence, stating, “Enough blood has been spilled. Enough suffering has been inflicted. The time has come to de-escalate the conflict in Sudan.” The attack on the hospital underscores the escalating risks to civilians in the war-torn region.#world_health_organization #rapid_support_forces #tedros_ghebreyesus #al_daein_teaching_hospital #sudan
El-Daein Teaching Hospital attack in Sudan: WHO says 64 people dead as army denies RSF claims it was behind the strike The World Health Organization confirmed that a drone strike on el-Daein Teaching Hospital in Sudan killed at least 64 people, including 13 children, two nurses, and a doctor, with 89 others injured. The hospital, located in the capital of East Darfur state, is now deemed inoperable, cutting off critical medical care for thousands in the region. The attack occurred during Eid celebrations, marking the end of Ramadan. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus condemned the strike, calling it a "tragedy" and urging an end to the conflict that has raged for nearly three years. He highlighted that 2,036 people have been killed in attacks on healthcare facilities since the war began, including the latest strike. "Health care should never be a target," he said, emphasizing the need for peace. The Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group allied with Sudan’s military, claimed an army drone was responsible for the attack. They stated the strike destroyed the hospital’s top floor, damaged the emergency department, and rendered vital medical equipment unusable. However, Sudan’s army denied involvement, calling the RSF’s accusation "surprising" and asserting it adheres to "international norms and laws." The conflict, which erupted in April 2023, has claimed over 150,000 lives and displaced 12 million people, making it the largest humanitarian crisis in the world. The war has seen frequent targeting of civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, schools, and residential areas. The RSF and Sudan’s military, once allies, now fight for control of the country, with the RSF holding parts of western Sudan and the army controlling Khartoum.#world_health_organization #tedros_adhanom_ghebreyesus #rapid_support_forces #sudan_army #el_daein_teaching_hospital
