(MENAFN) In war-torn Sudan, hospitals and healthcare facilities are increasingly becoming targets of attacks amid ongoing conflict between the army and paramilitaries, as reported by a World Health Organization (WHO) official on Wednesday. Hanan Balkhy, the WHO's Eastern Mediterranean regional director, highlighted that since the beginning of the war in April 2023, there have been a total of 82 attacks on healthcare facilities, with 17 occurring in just the last six weeks.

The situation is exacerbated by the spread of diseases such as cholera, malaria, and meningitis across the country, further straining an already fragile healthcare system. Balkhy issued warnings about the dire humanitarian consequences resulting from these attacks and the concurrent health crises facing the population.

The conflict, primarily between the regular army under Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces led by Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, has exacted a heavy toll, with tens of thousands reported dead and over ten million people displaced according to the United Nations. Despite these challenges, the delivery of crucial humanitarian aid is impeded by significant administrative, security, and logistical hurdles, noted Shible Sahbani, the WHO's representative in Sudan.

As the conflict persists unabated, the WHO continues to advocate for the protection of healthcare facilities and personnel, alongside urgent measures to address the humanitarian and health emergencies gripping Sudan.

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