Dr. Nima Saeed Abid, the representative of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Sudan, mentioned that limited access to healthcare remains a significant issue due to the lack of security, displacement, and shortages of medicines and medical supplies. These conditions are exposing millions of Sudanese people to the risk of contracting serious diseases or facing preventable causes of death.
During the routine press conference of the United Nations agencies in Geneva, Dr. Abid stated that the healthcare system in Sudan reached a breaking point due to the tremendous pressure on health facilities and their reduced capacity to meet the increasing needs resulting from disease outbreaks and malnutrition.
Dr. Aabid provided an update on the health situation in Sudan, which is facing the spread of disease epidemics, limited access to healthcare, and attacks on healthcare facilities.
He mentioned that the majority of health facilities in conflict areas are no longer operational. Even in regions less directly affected by conflict, medical facilities are overwhelmed by patients. Additionally, healthcare workers have not received their salaries for nearly seven months.
He expressed sorrow at the continued attacks on healthcare facilities, highlighting that the WHO documented 60 attacks on healthcare facilities since the conflict began. This led to the death of 34 individuals and injuries to 38 others, significantly impacting the availability of care.
The ongoing conflict in Sudan for the past seven months has had devastating repercussions on people’s lives, health, and well-being across the country, resulting in the displacement of 5.9 million people from their homes. More than 1.2 million have sought refuge in neighboring countries. Combined with over 3 million displaced before the current conflict, Sudan has become the world’s largest internal displacement crisis.