Sudan conflict: Situation 'heartbreaking', says WHO; 61 per cent health facilities closed in Khartoum

In the capital Khartoum, 61 per cent of health facilities are closed, and only 16 per cent are operating as normal. Many patients with chronic diseases are unable to access the health facilities.

The Sudanese doctors' union says 13 hospitals nationwide have been shelled and 19 others evacuated since fighting began. 

WHO on Wednesday said the bloodshed seen over the past 10 days in Sudan, where people have already suffered so much in recent years, is heartbreaking.

In a media briefing, the director general of the World Health Organisation, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus welcomed the ceasefire agreed between the parties. We urge all parties to fully respect it"," he said.

Already, the violence has taken a terrible toll on health. On top of the number of deaths and injuries caused by the conflict itself, WHO expects there will be many more deaths due to outbreaks, lack of access to food and water, and disruptions to essential health services, including immunization, Tedros said.

WHO estimates that one-quarter of the lives lost so far could have been saved with access to basic haemorrhage control. But paramedics, nurses and doctors are unable to access injured civilians, and civilians are unable to access services, he noted.

In the capital Khartoum, 61 per cent of health facilities are closed, and only 16 per cent are operating as normal. Many patients with chronic diseases, like kidney disease, diabetes and cancer, are unable to access the health facilities or medicines they need.

In the coming weeks, an estimated 24,000 women will give birth, but they are currently unable to access maternal care.

Vector control programmes to prevent transmission of dengue and malaria have had to stop. The risk of diarrhoeal diseases is high as the water supply is disrupted and people are drinking river water to survive. With nutrition programmes suspended, 50,000 children are at real risk and the movement of civilians seeking safety threatens the fragile health system throughout the country, the director-general said.

Since the conflict began, WHO has verified 16 attacks on health, causing 8 deaths. WHO is also concerned about the occupation of the central public health laboratory by one of the parties in the conflict. Technicians no longer have access to the laboratory, which means the lab is no longer able to perform its normal diagnostic and reference functions.

"We are also concerned that those occupying the lab could be accidentally exposed to pathogens stored there," Tedros said.

WHO is seeking more information and conducting a risk assessment. Power cuts are also threatening to make the few remaining stocks of blood stored in the Central Blood Bank unusable. WHO staff are risking their lives to support the urgent health needs.

"We are relocating our staff and their dependents to safety, but we are making plans to continue our operations to the best of our ability. WHO has stocks of essential medicines, blood bags, supplies for surgery and trauma care waiting for delivery. But we need safe access to do that. As always, the best medicine in this situation is peace," WHO director-general added.