WHO chief urged end to attacks on medical facilities in Sudan

The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has called for an immediate end to attacks on medical facilities in Sudan, warning that ongoing violence continues to deprive civilians of essential healthcare.

In a post on the X platform on Tuesday, Ghebreyesus said that “attacks on healthcare services in Sudan continue, and the population is being denied access to the health services they urgently need.”

He noted that large parts of Al-Nuhud Hospital in West Kordofan remain under the control of armed forces, preventing residents from receiving adequate medical treatment.

On Friday, the Sudanese Doctors Network reported that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) had converted Al-Nuhud Hospital into a military barracks, a move widely condemned by medical and humanitarian organisations.

Ghebreyesus added that Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) had withdrawn its staff from Zalingei Hospital in Darfur after one of its health workers was killed.

According to WHO data, 198 attacks on health services have been verified since the conflict between the Sudanese army and the RSF erupted in April 2023. These attacks have resulted in 1,735 deaths among health workers and patients, and injured 438 others.

The WHO chief urged all parties to respect international humanitarian law and ensure that medical facilities, staff, and patients are protected.

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