Department of Strategic Security and Military Research and Studies 11-10-2024

Amid Sudan’s ongoing conflict, frequent attacks on healthcare facilities have left only one hospital functioning in Khartoum North, a densely populated city.

In a quiet room of Bahri Hospital, the sole medical facility still operational in Khartoum North, Alsuna Issa sits beside her toddler, Jaber. The young boy, dressed in worn jeans and a Spiderman t-shirt that barely covers his swollen belly, is suffering from malnutrition.

Under the cooling fans, other patients with similar conditions wait patiently for their turn, in a country that has been devastated by over 18 months of conflict between the national army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

 Bahri Hospital: The Last One Standing in Khartoum North

Situated in the northern part of the city, Bahri Hospital was recaptured from the RSF by the Sudanese army in late September. The RSF had seized control of it during the early stages of the conflict last year. Khartoum North is one of three cities forming the greater Khartoum metropolitan area, Sudan’s national capital.

Since the conflict began, over 100 health facilities have been attacked, leaving Bahri Hospital as the only functioning one in Khartoum North, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Alsuna brought her son to the hospital after he experienced days of fever and diarrhea, unable to find another working hospital near her home. “He was vomiting, and his stomach was bloated. After tests, they diagnosed him with malaria and a stomach infection,” she told Al Jazeera. “There are no hospitals near us, so I brought him here, and they admitted him.”

Doctors report that hundreds of patients arrive daily, including those from RSF-controlled areas, seeking care ranging from surgeries to treatment for malnourished children. However, reaching the hospital is no easy task.

“We live far away, and returning home is difficult. Sometimes we have to hide due to fighting or artillery fire,” one patient, Iqbal Ali, shared with Al Jazeera. “There are days when the hospital is too crowded, and we have to come back the following day.”

Karima Ikram Ahmed Adam, another patient, added, “When someone falls ill, they are brought here on a wheelbarrow or, if possible, on a donkey.”

 Conflict Displacement and Its Impact on Healthcare

The worsening security situation in Sudan has displaced more than 11 million people, according to the government. This mass displacement has affected healthcare workers, leading to staff shortages and forcing more hospitals to shut down.

 A Crisis of Supplies and Medical Care

Dr. Hadeel Malik, the emergency director at Bahri Hospital, explained that medical resources have been critically scarce throughout the conflict. “Supply issues have persisted since the beginning of the war,” she said. “In RSF-controlled areas, medical supplies often vanish before reaching the hospitals.”

Malik also noted that RSF forces have detained health workers in the past, raising concerns for the safety of medical staff. Under RSF control, the health situation in Khartoum North was “very, very poor,” but Malik says conditions have improved, albeit still critical.

“What we found when we returned was widespread destruction and theft across all health centers and facilities,” she explained. Malik has worked on establishing over 23 health centers in Khartoum North over the past year in response to the crisis.

 Community Resilience in the Face of Crisis

For patients like Adam, the support of local communities has been vital to make up for the deficiencies in healthcare. “If someone in our neighborhood is ill, everyone—friends, neighbors—comes together to help,” she said. “The situation is so dire that you can’t survive without the whole neighborhood’s support.”

Adam also made an emotional plea for international aid. “People are dying every day, and no aid has reached us yet,” she said. “We need urgent help, especially medicine, because the number of sick children is overwhelming.”