In Sudan, Khartoum’s hospitals once symbolised hope, offering places of healing for the injured and welcoming newborns into the world.
Before the war, they were not just places of medical treatment but vital institutions where life-saving care was delivered in the form of surgeries, maternity wards and palliative care.
Now they stand as stark reminders of the devastation wrought by the April 15, 2023 war, the definitive date when the current conflict began in Sudan.
According to a report by the Sudanese American Physicians Association (SAPA), in collaboration with the Yale School of Public Health’s Humanitarian Research Lab, 47 per cent of hospitals in Sudan’s capital suffered direct damage during the first 500 days of the conflict.
Documented through satellite imagery and local reports, the destruction has rendered over 70 percent of healthcare facilities non-functional in conflict zones, crippling the country’s already fragile healthcare system. That amounts to a war crime.
In international humanitarian law, non-combatant sites like hospitals, residences for civilians and schools should never be attacked. In Sudan, that rule has often been ignored, according to rights groups.
The scale of health infrastructure collapse has seen 41 of 87 hospitals in Khartoum damaged in 55 separate incidents, with 11 hospitals struck multiple times, among them, 17 teaching hospitals which observers say have been totally destroyed.
“Every damaged hospital examined in this report represents the story of a patient turned away, a surgery delayed, or a life lost,” said Dr Yasir Elamin, SAPA President.
“Beyond the immediate security risks to healthcare personnel and patients, the damage to hospitals documented in this report will have devastating long-term effects on the health and well-being of people in Sudan and across the region. These findings are a call to action for governments, humanitarian organisations, and global leaders to prevent further devastation and work to rebuild this critical infrastructure.”
Prior to the ongoing conflict between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF), Khartoum’s healthcare system provided a comprehensive range of specialised care, and the Sudanese people relied on Khartoum state as the main referral and medical hub for patients across the country, experts observed. Now the attacks on the facilities mean that privilege will be gone.
The destruction has left one-third of the patient population unable to access critical care with 70 percent of Sudan’s healthcare facilities no longer operational and 17 of the 25 teaching hospitals in Khartoum totally damaged, the document released on Wednesday said.
Additionally, the collapse of the healthcare system has led to the re-emergence of diseases like cholera and malaria, alongside preventable infectious illnesses, exacerbating the suffering of an already vulnerable population.
These attacks have deprived more than one-third of Khartoum’s population of access to basic healthcare services.
Meanwhile, over 8 million people have been displaced due to the conflict, with many living in dire conditions without essential services.
This has significantly increased malnutrition, and preventable complications such as miscarriages caused by inadequate medical care.
As it is children aged under 5 have shown signed of stunting in Khartoum, as in crowded refugee camps elsewhere in Darfur.
Humanitarian organizations, including the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), have emphasized that attacks on healthcare facilities constitute blatant violations of international humanitarian law.
Mirjana Spoljaric, President of the ICRC, called for an immediate halt to these attacks and for safeguarding healthcare workers and medical supplies to ensure safe humanitarian access to affected areas.
As the war persists, Sudan faces monumental challenges in rebuilding its healthcare system, which could add to the cost of rebuilding from the war.
There has been no computation of the value of infrastructure damaged in this war, but Sudanese are already suffering the consequences of destroyed hospitals and training facilities for doctors.
Experts argue that prioritising hospital reconstruction, training healthcare professionals, and reestablishing medical supply chains are critical steps. Furthermore, holding those responsible for targeting hospitals accountable under international law is essential to preventing such violations in the future.
“I have seen firsthand the empty halls of hospitals that once saved lives,” said Dr Safa Ali, Obstetrician at El Saudi Hospital – Omdurman, in a statement reacting to the report.
“These hospitals should be sanctuaries for healing, not targets or collateral damage. Sudanese healthcare workers and the people of Sudan need the world to stand with them and help rebuild what conflict has destroyed. The world has a moral obligation to help rebuild this critical infrastructure and support the millions who depend on these hospitals for survival.”
The international community must not only condemn the destruction of healthcare facilities but also urgently mobilise resources to support the reconstruction of Sudan’s health infrastructure.
This includes providing medical supplies, establishing temporary health posts, and ensuring the safety of medical staff working in conflict zones.
Sudan’s hospitals, once lifelines for the Sudanese people, have become symbols of pain and loss. Restoring these facilities as sanctuaries of healing and hope is a shared global responsibility that cannot wait any longer.
