SUDAN CRISIS UPDATE: 60% OF HEALTH FACILITIES IN KHARTOUM CLOSED-WHO.
By Tolulope Kuti.
The crisis in Sudan has taken a huge toll on health facilities in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum.
According to World Health Organisation (WHO) sources , more than 60 percent of healthcare facilities in Khartoum are closed on account of the conflict..
A growing number of hospitals have been bombed out of service. The non stop soaring cost
of food, fuel shortages have worsened the humanitarian crisis unfolding in the country.
Initial lack of investment in the health sector puts a lot of pressure on
children and people who are no longer able to access essential and live
saving services .
The World Health Organisation warned that hospitals are running out of blood,
transfusion equipment, intravenous fluids and other vital supplies, adding that
nearly 300 people have been killed and a further 3,000 injured.
US-brokered ceasefire between Sudan’s warning generals enters the second day
but remains fragile and can affect health factors negatively if the ceasefire does not
last. Eye witness accounts claim continuing air raids. The rapid support forces paramilitary
group says it has seized an oil refinery and power plant around the city capital of Khartoum.
Sudan also hosts over 1 million refugees, and is a source, transit and destination country for mixed movements of refugees, asylum-seekers and migrants across the sub-region towards Europe and other destinations.
The public health system is severely affected by years of underfunding, resulting in a lack of qualified health staff and insufficient access to basic and essential services. The disease surveillance system is fragmented, with only 2 168 out of 6 300 total health facilities (34.4%) representing Sentinel Surveillance and 70% of health facilities lacking essential lifesaving medicines. Sudan is the leading contributor to malaria in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, accounting for around 56% of cases, and is also endemic for the arboviruses chikungunya, dengue and yellow fever.
