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Healthcare Crisis in Sudan: 75% of Khartoum Facilities Out of Service
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The collapse of the healthcare system in Sudan, especially in the capital Khartoum, highlights the urgent need for a political solution to the conflict, as continued fighting threatens to turn the cou
The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a stern warning about the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Sudan, indicating that the continuation of armed conflict could lead to massive human losses unless urgent action is taken to stop the bloodshed.
This warning came from Hanan Balkhy, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, during a press conference held in Cairo on Tuesday.
Balkhy explained that the war raging for nearly 18 months has caused the world's largest internal displacement crisis, with more than 25 million people, over half of Sudan's population, in dire need of food and healthcare.
She added, "Malnourished children and mothers are dying due to lack of care, cholera is spreading in many parts of the country, and aid workers face enormous challenges."
In a related context, Richard Brennan, WHO Regional Emergency Director, revealed that more than 20,000 cholera cases have been recorded this year in half of Sudan's eighteen regions.
He noted that this outbreak is spreading faster compared to last year, putting additional pressure on the collapsed health system. In an attempt to address this situation, Brennan announced the start of an oral vaccination campaign this week, with 1.4 million doses arriving and another 2.2 million expected later.
The alarming statistics provided by the organization indicate that 75% of health facilities in the capital Khartoum are out of service, while the situation in western and southern Sudan appears even worse.
This collapse of the health system comes amid ongoing battles between the army and the Rapid Support Forces, which erupted in mid-April 2023 over competing plans for transition to civilian rule.
Under these catastrophic conditions, voices calling for urgent international intervention to save the situation in Sudan are growing louder. Balkhy warned explicitly, "If there is no immediate intervention, famine and disease will claim countless lives," which places a moral and humanitarian responsibility on the international community to act quickly before the crisis turns into an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe.
The question remains: Will the international community be able to overcome political differences and move effectively to save millions of lives in Sudan? And will diplomatic efforts succeed in finding a political solution that ends the conflict and opens the door for comprehensive humanitarian relief operations?
Levant-Agencies
