from RAJI BASHIR in Khartoum, Sudan
Sudan Bureau
KHARTOUM, (CAJ News) – MEDECINS Sans Frontières (MSF) has suspended all activities at Zalingei Hospital in Central Darfur following a violent assault that left one person dead and five others injured on August 16. Among the wounded was a Ministry of Health staff member.
The attack unfolded after two gunshot victims were brought to the MSF-supported hospital by armed groups.
Tensions escalated, and at around 10 p.m., a hand grenade was detonated outside the emergency ward, killing one person. MSF said the incident highlights the severe risks faced by medical staff and patients.
“Suspending our activities and evacuating our teams is a decision no medical organization wants to make, but our staff cannot risk their lives while providing care,” said Marwan Taher, MSF’s emergency coordinator in Darfur.
The suspension comes at a critical time. Since August 1, MSF teams had treated 162 cholera patients at Zalingei Hospital, the only facility capable of handling severe cases in Central Darfur. The outbreak has already claimed seven lives. The hospital also provided pediatric, gynecological, and surgical services to thousands of patients between May and July.
The closure leaves an estimated 500,000 people without access to specialized care. MSF also halted mobile clinics and community health programs in the area.
MSF stressed that without security guarantees from all parties, medical activities cannot resume. “Attacks on hospitals and medical staff are unacceptable,” Taher warned. “People in Zalingei urgently need healthcare, and their access must be protected.”
– CAJ News