Health Official: Only 3 hospitals are operating in El Fasher
Cairo – Sudanhorizon – Sabah Musa
Dr. Khadija Musa, Director General of the Ministry of Health in North Darfur State, has stated that the health situation in El Fasher is currently under control.
In a special statement to Sudanhorizon news website, Musa said they currently have only 3 fully operational hospitals: obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, surgery, and internal medicine. She stressed that these hospitals cover at least 70% of the health care needs in El Fasher.
Musa pointed to the Rapid Support Forces militia’s shelling of a shelter in the city, explaining that this violent shelling by the militia resulted in death of 16 citizens and the injury of 15 others, ranging from serious to minor injuries.
The North Darfur State Health Official stated that 90% of private pharmacies in El Fasher are out of service.
She revealed that the ministry has purchased all the medications from these pharmacies for the Ministry of Health and is distributing them free of charge to patients.
She added that approximately 80% of the medications are available and could cover the health situation for a maximum of two months.
The health official added that there are shortages-in cotton, adhesive tape, and medical laboratory equipment, explaining that the most commonly used medications now are antibiotics and medical supplies.
She explained that they were forced to live with this harsh situation under siege, “but with God’s help, we are able to control it despite our limited resources and the cutting off of supply lines from outside the city.”
She added that international organizations working in the humanitarian and relief field could reach them under any circumstances due to the siege, which has closed all roads.
She stated that the only way to supply the city is through the airdropping by armed forces’ aircraft, and emphasized, “We sometimes obtain some medications unofficially through smuggling at exorbitant prices.”
The state health official revealed that the diseases currently spreading in El Fasher are a result of famine and random shelling by the militia.
She said that this shelling and siege have led to spread of malnutrition and serious injuries, in addition to diseases such as malaria, cholera and watery diarrhea, “but we were able to control them despite the difficult conditions.”
She pointed out that normal living conditions are almost at a standstill in El Fasher, and that only health institutions, hospitals and the army are functioning in the city, and that people have resorted to eating the remains of the peanut oil refinery – the umbaz – and its being used as porridge to feed themselves.
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