Amid a worsening humanitarian crisis in Sudan, a recent report by the Sudanese Doctors’ Network has revealed the escalating dangers faced by healthcare professionals since the outbreak of conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces in April 2023.
The independent network announced on Thursday that 234 medical personnel have been killed and 507 injured, with 59 still missing. Additionally, 73 remain detained under dire conditions in the city of Nyala, South Darfur, under the control of the Rapid Support Forces.
These figures emerge as part of a broader war that has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced nearly 13 million people. Fighting continues across the three Darfur states (North, West, and South), as well as in other regions, including the capital, Khartoum, further destabilising the humanitarian landscape and increasing the risks to both civilians and medical workers.
The targeting of healthcare workers and the violation of their right to safety while performing their duties represents a serious breach of international humanitarian law, which requires the protection of medical personnel during armed conflict. Detaining them in inhumane conditions reflects a blatant disregard for international obligations to safeguard human life and ensure access to essential healthcare for those affected by the war.
These alarming statistics highlight the fragility of Sudan’s healthcare system. Continued attacks on medical professionals severely undermine hospitals’ ability to provide basic services and exacerbate an already catastrophic humanitarian situation, leaving children, the sick, and the elderly at heightened risk of losing access to life-saving treatment.
