Sudan: Healthcare a luxury for millions

Health facilities attacked or looted, health personnel displaced, ambulances blocked or destroyed – nearly two years of the armed conflict in Sudan have had a devastating impact on healthcare.

Some 80% of health facilities in most conflict-affected areas closed their doors, meaning that many Sudanese people must travel long distances, often taking significant risks, to reach a hospital. The remaining facilities have severe medical supplies shortages and lack of skilled nurses and doctors. The lack of safe and secure access for referrals is another important challenge.  

“I wish I could walk on my leg again, but that’s impossible now. The main reason my leg was amputated was the lack of available treatment. We have no access to medicine,” said Mr. Mutzamil, a Khartoum resident receiving medical treatment at Atbara Teaching Hospital.

When the conflict began, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) started delivering emergency medical supplies. Since the beginning of last year, it delivered supplies to 88 hospitals across Sudan. The supplies were used to treat more than 22,000 weapon-wounded patients however there remain many people in need of medical care. 

Earlier this year, an ICRC mobile surgical team deployed to Atbara Teaching Hospital treated 150 war-wounded patients. Atbara is a town of some 100,000 inhabitants, 300 km north of Sudan’s capital, Khartoum. Khartoum has recently experienced heavy fighting.  

“We had a lot of displaced people coming from Khartoum and other places, but also a lot of displaced doctors and nurses,” said Dr. Maurice Ilboudo, ICRC surgeon working in Atbara.

The ICRC continues to remind the parties of their obligations under the laws of war, international humanitarian law, to ensure medical facilities, vehicles, and personnel are protected and can carry out their life-saving work.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is on the ground in 100 countries

with one humanitarian mission: to promote respect for the laws of war,

international humanitarian law, and help people caught up in armed conflicts and violence.

For further information please contact:

Adnan Hezam, ICRC Port Sudan, + +249 9009 403 77, ahizam@icrc.org

LOGLIST

Length: 07:02

Location: Sudan

Date Of Filming: 5 March 2025

Copyright: ICRC access all

On Screen Credit: ICRC written or logo

Producer: Ahmed Omer and Adnan Hezam

Camera: Ahmed Omer

Languages: Arabic/English

00:00 – 00:05     Exterior wide shot of Atbara hospital

00:06 – 00:11     Wide shot of Atbara hospital lobby

00:12 – 00:36     Various shots of the operating theatre

00:37 – 01:17     Various shots of a patient undergoing a surgery in the operating theatre

01:18 – 02:00     Soundbite: Musa – Patient, Atbara Hospital

“This injury has completely changed my life. I can’t move or walk properly anymore. It’s been extreme suffering. I wish I could walk on my leg again, but that’s impossible now. I am grateful for the people working at the hospital who help me. There is someone named Farah who helps me move my bed outside so I can get some fresh air.”

02:01 – 02:27     Musa in the hospital ward

02:28 – 02:51     Musa being assisted

02:52 – 03:29     Soundbite: Musa – Patient, Atbara Hospital

“During the surgery on my leg, I swear, the sounds they were making were like a carpenter working with wood. I wasn’t feeling anything, just hearing the noises. After a while, I heard them chatting and laughing. Then I heard them calling my name, "Musa, Musa, congratulations!" That’s when I realized the surgery had been successful. The process of getting the medical device for my leg has been long, since June 15 of last year until today, I’m still waiting.”

03:30 – 03:54     Hospital staff attending to patients at the hospital

03:55 – 04:11     A nurse attending to a patient

04:12 – 04:48     Soundbite: Muzamil – Patient, Atbara Hospital

“The main reason my leg was amputated was the lack of available treatment.  We have no access to medicine. We can’t find anything in Khartoum. All I can say is, God is my witness, and he is sufficient for me. Had I received proper healthcare, my leg wouldn’t have been amputated. We pray that Sudan finds peace, that healthcare is available everywhere, and that we can live in safety.”

04:49 – 05:03     ICRC Surgeon checking on a patient at the hospital ward

05:04 – 05:19     Hospital staff attending to a patient in the hospital ward

05:20 – 05:33     ICRC Surgeon checking on a patient at the hospital ward

05:34 - 06:26 Soundbite: Dr. Mautice Ilboudo – ICRC Surgeon, Atbara Hospital

“For me, as a surgeon and as a humanitarian, we have seen people coming from very far from Atbara. Some people are coming from 2,000 km in North Darfur, in other parts of the country, just because they heard that they were an ICRC project here, taking care of wounded patients. So, because of that, I can give feedback, yes, we are doing well, and it is pertinent for us to work here. After that, we realized that here, in the place here, we had a lot of displaced people coming from Khartoum and other places, but also a lot of what we called displaced doctors and nurses coming from Khartoum.”

06.27 – 07:02     Various shots of patients receiving medicine at the hospital pharmacy

Ends