Tulani Ngwenya
KHARTOUM, Sudan – Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) is sounding the alarm after being forced to suspend critical medical services at Bashair Teaching Hospital in Khartoum, Sudan. The decision comes after repeated violent attacks on patients and staff working in the facility, located in a region controlled by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
MSF teams have been working alongside hospital staff and volunteers at Bashair for the past 20 months. During this time, the hospital has been plagued by incidents of armed fighters entering the facility, threatening medical personnel, and demanding priority treatment. The situation escalated dramatically in recent months, culminating in a shooting that killed a patient inside the hospital on November 11th, 2024. Just last month, attackers stormed the emergency ward, firing weapons and directly endangering medical staff.
“The violence we’re witnessing in Khartoum is staggering,” says Claire San Filippo, MSF Emergency Coordinator. “People are caught in the crossfire of a relentless conflict, facing extreme hardship and a lack of necessities. The medical needs are immense, with horrific injuries and mass casualty incidents becoming commonplace. Our teams have done everything they can to provide care under these dire circumstances, but the ongoing security threats have made it impossible to continue operating safely.”
Bashair Hospital is a lifeline for residents of south Khartoum, offering one of the last remaining sources of free medical care in the region. Since September 2024, the facility has seen a surge in patients with violent trauma injuries as fighting intensifies. Following an airstrike near the hospital on January 5th, 2025, 50 people were rushed to the emergency room, with 12 already deceased.
MSF highlights the devastating impact of these attacks on the availability of healthcare. The organization has previously been forced to suspend activities at a nearby Turkish Hospital due to similar threats and violence against staff.
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“Denying people access to medical care is a horrific consequence of this conflict,” says San Filippo. “Hospitals are supposed to be sanctuaries, places where people can seek treatment without fear for their lives. We urge all parties to the conflict to respect the sanctity of medical facilities and allow healthcare workers to do their jobs safely.”
While MSF’s presence at Bashair Hospital is currently suspended, the organization remains committed to providing aid in Sudan. MSF teams continue to operate in 11 Sudanese states, including Omdurman in Khartoum. They express hope that conditions will improve, allowing them to return to Bashair and resume offering lifesaving medical care.
