World Health Organization has reacted over the reports of the tragic killing of over 460 patients and companions at Saudi Maternity Hospital in El Fasher, Sudan recently.
Report has it that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group in Sudan, killed over 460 patients and their companions in an attack at a maternity ward in El-Fashar over the weekend.
In a statement released on Tuesday by the Sudan Doctors’ Network who revealed that the fighters “cold- bloodedly killed everybody found inside the Saudi Hospital, including patients, companions, and anyone else present in the wards”.
The massacre took place as the RSF took control of the city of el-Fasher after a brutal 18-month siege marked by mass starvation and heavy bombardment, this also followed recent attacks and the abduction of health workers.
WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus in a statement said this attack is appalling, adding that all patients, health personnel and health facilities must be protected under International Humanitarian Law.
Meanwhile, prior to this latest attack, WHO has verified 185 attacks on health care in Sudan with 1204 deaths and 416 injuries of health workers and patients since the start of the conflict in April 2023 while 49 of these attacks occurred this year alone, killing 966 people.
The once allied RSF and forces of the military government began fighting in and around the Sudan’s capital Khartoum in April 2023 – a conflict which has since engulfed the entire country.
