Doctors Without Borders Halts Operations at Key Hospital in Khartoum Amid Ongoing Violence

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has announced the suspension of its medical activities at Bashair Hospital in Khartoum, Sudan, a facility that has been one of the few remaining sources of free medical care in the region. This decision follows a series of violent incidents that have jeopardized the safety of both staff and patients amidst the country's prolonged civil conflict.

Since the outbreak of hostilities 20 months ago between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the situation in Sudan has deteriorated significantly. The ongoing conflict has resulted in tens of thousands of casualties and has displaced millions, with over 30 million individuals now in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.

MSF reported that armed groups have repeatedly entered Bashair Hospital, brandishing weapons and threatening medical personnel. These intrusions have included demands for treatment of combatants before other patients, significantly disrupting the hospital's operations. In a particularly tragic incident last November, a patient was shot and killed within the hospital premises. Following this, there were further threats in December when assailants discharged firearms in the emergency ward.

In light of these escalating security concerns, MSF has made the difficult decision to pause all medical functions at the hospital. While the organization remains active in 11 other states across Sudan, it hopes for improvements in the security situation that might allow a return to Bashair Hospital in the future.

MSF Secretary-General Christopher Lockyear emphasized the gravity of this choice, describing it as a tragic but necessary step. He clarified that despite extensive discussions with all involved parties regarding the hospital's operations, the environment had become too perilous for safe patient care. He remarked, "We can't continue to operate in a situation which is immediately violent as that."

Bashair Hospital, located in an area under RSF control, has been crucial in treating victims of frequent airstrikes conducted by government forces, alongside offering care to malnourished women and children. The ongoing conflict has triggered what is considered the world's largest displacement and hunger crisis, with fighting severely restricting access to up to 80% of healthcare facilities in conflict zones. Many individuals remain trapped in these areas, unable to escape the violence.

This suspension of services by MSF is a stark illustration of the dire humanitarian conditions facing Sudan as the country grapples with the consequences of an unrelenting civil war.