WHO verifies deadly hospital attack in war-torn Sudan

Al Deain Teaching Hospital in East Darfur’s capital, Al Deain, was attacked on Friday evening, killing many people, including 13 children, two nurses, a doctor and several patients.

“Quite a lot of blood has been spilled,” said WHO chairman Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “Enough suffering has been caused. It is time to de-escalate the conflict in Sudan and ensure the protection of civilians, health workers and humanitarian workers.”

To date, the total death toll related to attacks on health facilities has now surpassed 2,000 during Sudan’s war, which began in April 2023 between rival militaries.

Death, injury and damage

Over nearly three years of conflict, the WHO has confirmed that 2,036 people have been killed in 213 attacks on health services, including Friday night’s attack in Al Deain.

The latest attack also injured 89 people, including eight health staff, and damaged the pediatric, maternity and emergency departments at the hospital.

In total, more than 720 people have been injured in attacks on health services during the war to date.

Long term consequences

In addition to the enormous loss of life, attacks on health services also have immediate and long-term consequences for communities in dire need of emergency and routine medical services.

Al Deain Teaching Hospital is currently out of commission due to extensive damage from the attack, resulting in critical disruption to essential medical services.

WHO is supporting local health partners to help fill urgent gaps by increasing capacity in other health facilities. These include:

• strengthening primary health services to provide outpatient, pediatric and obstetric services
• increasing capacity to care for the injured
• deploy trauma care supplies and essential medications

“Health care should not be a target,” said the WHO chief. “Peace is the best medicine.”