Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) strongly condemns the violent incursion by Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a party to the conflict in Sudan, into the emergency room at Bashair Teaching Hospital in South Khartoum on December 18.
The attackers fired weapons inside the emergency ward, directly threatened medical staff, and severely disrupted lifesaving care. MSF urgently calls on RSF, and all parties to the conflict, to respect the neutrality of medical facilities and the safety of health care workers.
The ongoing war in Sudan has driven its health care system to the brink of collapse since it started in April 2023. This latest attack follows an earlier incident on November 11, when armed fighters stormed the hospital, fired shots, and killed a patient receiving treatment. These repeated violations of the neutrality of health care facilities and the sanctity of medical care are unacceptable.
“Several RSF soldiers entered the emergency rooms and some of them started firing against medical personnel, threatening patients and MSF and Ministry of Health staff,” said Samuel David Theodore, MSF emergency coordinator in Sudan. “Luckily, no one was injured but everyone is extremely affected by this traumatic aggression inside the hospital. Attacks against medical facilities and health personnel are unacceptable. Hospitals must remain safe spaces, free from violence and intimidation. Staff cannot have their lives threatened while they provide care.”
Bashair Teaching Hospital is one of the last functioning health care facilities in South Khartoum amid the ongoing conflict. MSF staff have tirelessly maintained lifesaving activities under exceptionally difficult conditions.
Bullet holes left by RSF inside the emergency room of Bashair Teaching Hospital. Sudan 2024 © MSF
“Bashair Teaching Hospital is a lifeline for thousands of people in South Khartoum,” said Claire San Filippo, Emergency Coordinator for Sudan. “MSF support is critical for countless men, women, and children affected by this devastating conflict. However, the safety of our patients and staff is paramount. Attacks like these severely compromise our ability to continue operating.”
Since the beginning of June 2024, MSF teams at Bashair Teaching Hospital have conducted 12,396 emergency consultations, admitted 2,510 patients to the maternity ward, and screened 4,490 children for malnutrition.
