The World Health Organization (WHO) has condemned a devastating attack on a Saudi-funded maternity clinic in al-Fasher, Sudan, resulting in over 460 deaths and the abduction of medical personnel. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus expressed profound shock and dismay at the incident, reiterating the demand for an immediate and unconditional cessation of all attacks on healthcare facilities.
The assault comes amid a rapidly deteriorating humanitarian crisis, exacerbated by the recent seizure of al-Fasher by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on Monday. An estimated 260,000 people have been displaced in recent days, fleeing the escalating violence and seeking refuge in surrounding villages or enduring precarious conditions with limited assistance. Sudan is now facing what is being described as the world’s largest humanitarian crisis.
The attack highlights the systemic targeting of healthcare infrastructure and personnel within the ongoing conflict, a concerning pattern the WHO has documented since the conflict began in April 2023. A total of 185 attacks on healthcare have been recorded thus far, resulting in 1,204 deaths and 416 injuries. The current year alone has witnessed 49 such attacks, claiming 966 lives.
German aid organization, Welthungerhilfe, is urgently calling for significantly increased international support. Their field teams report a surge in displacement, with families arriving in areas like Tawila, utterly exhausted, traumatized and stripped of their possessions. “The humanitarian situation is catastrophic” stated Welthungerhilfe Secretary-General Mathias Mogge. “Over 560,000 people are living under harrowing conditions – without food, water, shelter, or medical care – and require immediate assistance”. Mogge’s appeal underscores the inadequacy of current aid efforts and the escalating risks faced by vulnerable populations.
In Tawila, existing support systems are overwhelmed, with collapsed water and food supplies, insufficient sanitation and grossly inadequate medical attention. Women and girls are particularly vulnerable. Welthungerhilfe warns that the rapid spread of diseases like cholera poses an immediate and severe threat requiring intervention. The relentless targeting of health infrastructure not only impedes the delivery of essential medical care but also represents a significant violation of international humanitarian law, potentially constituting war crimes.