Sudanese Doctors: Urgent Intervention Needed for Health Situation in East Darfur
moatinoon
The Sudanese Doctors Union stated that the state of East Darfur is suffering from a severe shortage of doctors and other medical staff, non-payment of salaries, disruption of medical supplies, and the spread of diseases. The overcrowding of displaced people has created an environment conducive to the spread of diseases and epidemics.
Humanitarian, health organizations, and local authorities, along with the Federal Ministry of Health, were urged to work on finding immediate solutions to overcome this humanitarian crisis. The recent developments and escalation of events in Darfur states have created a tragic reality that requires urgent and responsible intervention from all relevant parties. The fighting parties were called upon to stop the war.
The Preparatory Committee of the Sudanese Doctors Union emphasized in a statement on Friday that El Daein Hospital in East Darfur suffers from a severe shortage of doctors and other medical staff, despite the relative safety of the state compared to other Darfur states. There are around 100 doctors in both the public and private sectors, including doctors displaced from other Darfur states.
The situation worsened as most medical staff stopped working due to the non-payment of salaries for over seven months. All other healthcare staff, including cleaning and security services, also ceased working in Adila Rural Hospital. The union confirmed the halt of government medical supplies since the beginning of the war, including emergency medications. Only medicines smuggled from neighboring countries without supervision and sold on the black market are available. Children and women are particularly suffering, with increasing cases of malnutrition and communicable diseases.
The union warned that the situation would worsen with the outbreak of malaria and dengue fever at the end of the rainy season. There is an urgent need for spraying campaigns, disease vector control, and the distribution of mosquito nets.
