Medics Defy Danger: Bravery Under Bombardment in Darfur's Last Hospital

As the siege of el-Fasher continues, medical professionals from Saudi Hospital display incredible courage, performing life-saving surgeries under constant bombardment, and highlighting the dire humanitarian crisis in Sudan.

Dr. Mustafa Ali Abdulrahman Ibo and his colleagues at Saudi Hospital in el-Fasher, Sudan, face extreme adversity as they continue to provide vital healthcare amid escalating bombardments. El-Fasher has been under siege for nine months, and just in the past month, the hospital has seen a tragic rise with 28 deaths and over 50 injuries among its staff and patients.

“Recent continuous attacks targeting Saudi Hospital have intensified dramatically, it has become part of our daily lives,” Dr. Ibo, a local physician who has lived in el-Fasher since 2011, shared with the BBC, recounting the trauma that has gripped their working environment.

One harrowing incident occurred during an emergency caesarean section when the hospital was hit by shelling. Dr. Ibo described the chilling moments as chaos erupted: “The first shell hit the hospital’s perimeter wall… then the maternity operating room took a direct hit, cutting off power just as we were performing surgery.”

With debris falling around them, the medical team used their mobile phone torches to illuminate the operating room, which had been plunged into darkness. “The situation was dire,” recalled Dr. Khatab Mohammed, who led that fateful surgery. They managed to deliver a healthy baby even as risks loomed above them.

To commemorate their survival, the surgical team took a group photo afterward—a moment that felt bittersweet. “I thought it might be our last photo, believing that another shell would hit the same spot and we would all die,” Dr. Mohammed reflected.

Since the civil conflict erupted in April 2023, Saudi Hospital has become the last facility able to perform surgeries in North Darfur. The war, sparked by an internal power struggle between the military and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has resulted in widespread humanitarian catastrophe. The UN reports over 780 civilian deaths and more than 1,140 injuries due to the violence surrounding el-Fasher.

As other hospitals have closed, Saudi Hospital's staff continue to persevere against heart-wrenching conditions. The medical director, Mudathir Ibrahim Suleiman, describes a heart-breaking reality where the hospital serves pregnant women and families fleeing violence from nearby conflict-affected areas, such as the overcrowded Zamzam camp housing about 500,000 individuals facing famine.

Despite shortages of supplies and rampant insecurity, the dedication of the hospital staff shines through. “All normal aspects of life have completely disappeared,” Dr. Ibo noted. Students continue their education through online programs due to the chaos outside.

Concern over maternal and child health has reached alarming levels, prompting the WHO to implore adherence to international law regarding the protection of healthcare facilities. Dr. Ibo cited the medical team’s commitment: “We draw our resilience from the people of el-Fasher - we are its children and graduates of the University of el-Fasher."

As attacks increasingly target humanitarian efforts, MSF voiced horror at an incident where their ambulances came under gunfire while transporting patients. Amid all the devastation, Dr. Mohammed, who chose to stay in el-Fasher despite potential escape routes, and his colleagues exhibit unwavering mental fortitude. “Our souls refused to abandon the people of this city—especially given the catastrophic conditions we witness daily.”

In a world filled with turmoil, the medics at Saudi Hospital remain a beacon of hope, vowing to deliver care “from wherever we can, even underground or under the shade of a tree,” as they pray for peace to return to their beloved city and nation.