Rhino: Agencies – The World Health Organization (WHO) said it has verified another attack targeting health care facilities in Sudan. This time, Al-Da’ein Teaching Hospital—located in the city of Al-Da’ein, the capital of East Darfur state—was bombed, killing at least 64 people, including 13 children, two nurses, one doctor, and a number of patients.
The World Health Organization confirmed that 2,036 people have been killed in 213 attacks targeting healthcare facilities, including the strike that occurred Friday night in El Daein. As a result of this tragedy, the total number of deaths linked to attacks on health facilities during the ongoing war in Sudan has surpassed 2,000.
Over the course of the nearly three-year conflict, this latest attack also injured 89 people, including eight healthcare workers, and caused damage to the hospital’s pediatric, maternity, and emergency departments. This brings the total number of people injured in attacks on health care facilities during the war to date to more than 720.
The organization added in a statement: “Enough blood has been shed, and people have suffered more than enough. It is time to de-escalate the ongoing conflict in Sudan and ensure the protection of civilians, health workers, and humanitarian workers. Healthcare should never be a target of attacks; peace is the best medicine”.
In addition to the devastating human toll, attacks on healthcare facilities have immediate and long-term consequences for local communities that are already in dire need of both emergency and routine medical services. Al-Dhain Teaching Hospital is currently out of service due to the severe damage caused by the attack, resulting in a critical disruption in the provision of essential medical services.
The World Health Organization is working to support local partners in the health sector to help fill urgent gaps by strengthening operational capacities in other health facilities. This support includes strengthening primary health care services to provide outpatient care, childcare, and maternal and newborn care; as well as increasing the capacity to treat the injured and providing trauma care supplies and essential medicines.
