News24.com | Sudan conflict: Health sector on its knees as 70% of hospitals shut down

A picture taken on May 1, 2023 shows an abandoned hospital in El Geneina, the capital of West Darfur, as deadly fighting continues in Sudan between rival generals' forces.

• Sudanese hospitals recorded 411 civilian deaths and 2 023 injuries.
• About 70% of hospitals in war-torn areas were shut down due to incapacitation.
• About 12 000 renal patients' lives are in danger because dialysis has stopped.

The Sudan Doctors Trade Union (SDTU) has written to international aid partners, appealing for immediate assistance as the country's health sector becomes incapacitated due to ongoing clashes.

There has been a three-day mini-ceasefire between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to allow civilians to flee.

However, there are isolated reports of shelling in the capital, Khartoum.

Exiled Sudanese activist Amir Suliman, of the African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies, said the country's health sector was on its knees.

Suliman was speaking to News24 from Banjul, Gambia, at the NGO's forum ahead of the African Union's African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights.

"The biggest losers in all this are civilians. Where will they go for basic healthcare? Going forward, people will die from illnesses that should not have killed them in the first place.

He said: 

In their appeal letter, SDTU said that, by the end of last week, it had recorded more than 400 civilian deaths in hospitals around Khartoum.

"As of 29 April, the total number of hospital deaths was 411, and the total injuries among civilians were 2023," the union said.

They are yet to get the final tally of deaths in El Geneina in Western Darfur, but the figure was above 89. There is no functional hospital in the area.

READ | More than 100 000 refugees flee Sudan amid intense fighting

In all parts of the country where there's gunfire, about 70% of the hospitals have been shut down.

The bombardment of Al Bahara Hospital in Khartoum Bahri on 29 April further aggravated the situation.

Hospital situation

The doctors said four children had died at Al Saudi Hospital because of a shortage of oxygen.

There were fears the deaths could increase because there were "no blood bags in blood banks".

The hospitals had also run out of heparin injections, which is used in the treatment of heart ailments, as a blood thinner.

The doctors said about 12 000 patients had been compromised by a shortage of supplies used in renal dialysis - and they could die of kidney failure.

Before the armed clashes, SDTU said renal centres in Khartoum conducted 140 000 sessions per month.

Public and environmental health

There has also been a sharp increase in waterborne diseases, such as diarrhoea and febrile illness, which is due to a lack of treated and suitable water.

There have been reports of dead bodies left by the roadside, and the decomposition is a health bomb, which is worsened by the fact that there's no garbage collection happening.

The News24 Africa Desk is supported by the Hanns Seidel Foundation. The stories produced through the Africa Desk and the opinions and statements that may be contained herein do not reflect those of the Hanns Seidel Foundation.