Despite the ongoing armed clashes between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan, and the lack of security and high treatment costs, the Turkish hospital in the city of Nyala, the capital of South Darfur State (West), continues to be the only refuge for patients in the region.
The hospital was officially inaugurated in 2014 by Professor Emrullah Isler, the Deputy Prime Minister of Turkey at that time under the supervision of the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA), at a cost of approximately $35 million.
Saving lives from the rubble of war
Dr. Mustafa Omar Obama, one of the physicians working at the hospital, stated, “The Turkish hospital has been tirelessly working to save lives from the rubble of the war since its inception.”
He added that, “Despite the confrontations, the Turkish hospital has become the first refuge for war victims in the region, especially those who are affected within the city and some nearby areas.”
Oubama pointed out that the hospital “provides healthcare services with better facilities compared to government hospitals, which have been completely closed due to the confrontations and lack of funding, or due to being located in dangerous areas.”
Thanks to the Turkish hospital in Nyala, citizens in the Darfur region are no longer compelled to travel abroad for medical treatment.
The hospital boasts a team of top specialist doctors in various fields and occupies a strategic and prominent location within the city, facilitating easy access for patients from both the city and its outskirts.
The hospital receives dozens of patients daily
Journalist Issa Daf Allah from Nyala city says, “The hospital has remained resilient, operating with high medical competence and capability.”
He added, “If it weren’t for the presence of the Turkish hospital and its staff in various departments, most of the casualties due to the confrontations in Nyala, including civilians from other cities, would have been among the deceased.”
He pointed out that “most of the hospitals in Darfur region have gone out of service completely due to their geographical location within the danger zone, and the lack of operational tools. However, the Turkish hospital has continued to operate and provide the best services to the patients in the region.”
However, “Daf Allah” expressed his concerns about the hospital’s continued operation if the fighting doesn’t stop and if the necessary support isn’t provided. He highlighted the challenges posed by the closure of roads to and from Nyala, making it difficult to deliver essential medications from Port Sudan (northeast) to the hospital. Additionally, the hospital is facing overcrowding beyond its capacity.
Hospitals in Khartoum and Darfur, in particular, are facing various financial problems and challenges that threaten their ability to continue providing medical services to patients and the injured.
This is especially concerning in the midst of the intense conflicts that the country is experiencing between the army led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo “Hemedti,” which have resulted in 3,000 deaths and the displacement and refuge of more than 3 million people.