The war in Sudan has claimed over 2,000 lives through attacks on hospitals and health facilities, according to the World Health Organisation, raising alarm over the collapse of critical healthcare services.
WHO Director-General, Tedros Ghebreyesus, disclosed the figures following a deadly strike on a major hospital in East Darfur. The attack targeted Al Deain Teaching Hospital, leaving at least 64 people dead, including children, medical staff, and patients receiving treatment.
Dozens of others were injured in the incident, with health workers among the casualties, while key sections of the hospital, such as maternity, paediatric, and emergency units, were severely damaged, rendering the facility non-operational.
According to the WHO, the latest strike brings the total number of deaths linked to attacks on healthcare to over 2,036 across more than 200 incidents since the war began, with hundreds more injured. The agency warned that the destruction of medical infrastructure is further restricting access to essential services for millions of people.
“Attacks on health care have immediate and long-term consequences for communities already in desperate need”, Ghebreyesus said, calling for an end to the violence and greater protection for health workers and facilities.
Despite the challenges, the WHO says it is supporting local partners to expand services in remaining facilities, including trauma care and the provision of essential medicines.
The conflict, which began in April 2023, is a power struggle between the Sudanese Armed Forces led by Abdel Fatah al-Burhan and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces commanded by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo.
The war has displaced millions and deepened a humanitarian crisis, with repeated attacks on healthcare compounding the strain on an already fragile system.
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