The Turkish Hospital is one of only two hospitals that remain open in the whole of southern Khartoum – both of which are supported by Doctors Without Borders. Doctors Without Borders is one of only a few international medical humanitarian organisations that is still present in the city, supporting hospitals in east Khartoum and Omdurman in addition to south Khartoum. Doctors Without Borders is here helping the Ministry of Health keep the hugely fragile health system afloat, but following yesterday’s incident – and the series of incidents that have preceded it – the organisation is beginning to think that its ongoing support may soon no longer be possible.
This incident happened just 700 metres away from the Turkish Hospital, where hundreds of patients – including children – are currently undergoing treatment. Only yesterday we received 44 patients who were wounded in an airstrike. Three and a half weeks ago, we received another mass influx of war wounded people – mainly women and children – who were injured following the escalation of fighting around the Central Reserve Police headquarters.
On a daily basis, this hospital receives around 15 war wounded patients, carries out lifesaving surgery and keeps patients with chronic diseases alive. Our teams work around the clock under intense conditions to treat all those who need care, yet when they leave the hospital, they are being physically assaulted and abused.
Doctors Without Borders has treated over 1,600 war wounded patients in Khartoum since the conflict began and our intentions are to continue to do this. However, the security situation has deteriorated so dramatically over the past few weeks that our presence in the Turkish Hospital is now in question.
