Zalingei – Al Hamish’s Voice | Wednesday, 26 November 202
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) said that a Ministry of Health worker was shot dead outside Zalingei Hospital in Central Darfur on 18 November, in an incident that also injured four others. The organization has since reduced its support to the hospital for the second time this year to safeguard the safety of its teams.
Maryam Al-Arousi, MSF’s emergency coordinator in Darfur, said the organization would not be able to resume its humanitarian activities at the hospital “unless the RSF provides clear guarantees for the protection of staff and patients,” stressing that medical facilities must never become sites of armed confrontation.
Zalingei Hospital provides essential services with MSF’s support, including emergency care, surgery, pediatrics, obstetrics, and neonatal care, in addition to measles and cholera isolation tents. The organization says that during the period of reduced activities, it will continue supporting medical staff and supplying medicines.
The incident comes after a similar suspension last August, when a hand-grenade explosion inside the hospital killed one person and injured five others. That attack prompted the organization to halt its work before resuming operations later that month following consultations with local authorities.
Security concerns have coincided with a widespread measles outbreak in Central Darfur. The organization reported receiving 850 cases since last April, 36% of whom suffer from severe malnutrition, which significantly increases the risk of death. Cases have been steadily rising since July, with 62 reported in November alone.
MSF warned that ongoing violence is blocking hundreds of patients from receiving care, urging authorities to secure health facilities to ensure urgent services can be delivered safely to both staff and civilians.
