The president of Doctors Without Borders announced on Tuesday that one-third of the individuals admitted to hospitals for war-related injuries in Sudan are women or children under ten years old.
The organization’s hospitals, which are the only functioning medical facilities in most parts of the war-torn country, have been subjected to repeated attacks, according to its president, Christos Christo, speaking to AFP in Port Sudan.
Since April 2023, tens of thousands of people have been killed in the war between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces.
Christo stated that many organizations have chosen a “wait and see” stance to observe how the conflict evolves.
His comments came as talks continued in Geneva between an international envoy and delegations representing both sides of the war.
Currently, with the looming threat of famine and no signs of the war abating, “we call on other organizations, especially United Nations agencies, to return and make more efforts,” Christo said.
The veteran doctor mentioned that many organizations reported facing “severe financial challenges” due to chronic underfunding for Sudan.
Medics, who are often targeted in Sudan, say they have been abandoned, while humanitarian workers complain that working has become nearly impossible.
Most relief organizations have only managed to send aid to the eastern regions controlled by the army, while the United Nations has accused both parties of creating “systematic barriers” and “deliberate deprivation” of access to humanitarian aid.
Christo added, “We still suffer from looting activities and our medical staff are harassed, and we have lost people.”
