How one surgeon maintained hospital care amid Sudan’s conflict

By Dominic Wabwireh with AP

As Sudan’s healthcare system teeters on the brink of collapse, doctors like Dr. Jamal Eltaeb and Dr. Osman Ismail Osman are battling against impossible odds to keep hospitals operational and save lives.

For Dr. Jamal Eltaeb, an orthopedic surgeon at Al Nao Hospital in Omdurman, the war in Sudan has forced him to make heart-wrenching decisions daily.

With dwindling medical supplies, frequent bombings, and a flood of patients, Eltaeb has become a symbol of resilience in a country where healthcare is on the verge of collapse.

“You choose… as if you can decide who will live and who will die,” Eltaeb said, reflecting on the impossible triage decisions he faced after a strike on a nearby market left over 100 injured and eight dead.

A hospital under siege
Al Nao Hospital, once a tranquil facility with nearly 100 beds, became a lifeline for countless wounded as fighting between Sudan’s military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) intensified.

Despite being targeted four times by the RSF, Eltaeb and a small team of volunteers fought to keep the hospital running.

Power outages lasted for weeks, forcing the hospital to rely on fuel from the army to operate generators.

Essential medications like antibiotics and pain relievers ran out, leaving doctors to perform surgeries with limited resources.

The collapse of Sudan’s healthcare system
Al Nao is one of the few hospitals still standing in Sudan. Nearly 40% of the country’s hospitals are no longer operational, dismantled for parts or repurposed as military bases.

Across town, Dr. Osman Ismail Osman, director of Al Shaabi Hospital, surveyed the ruins of what was once a critical facility for emergency cardiac care.

Located near the General Command centre in downtown Khartoum, Al Shaabi bore the brunt of some of the war’s fiercest battles.

“We’ve lost cardiac catheterization machines worth $2 million each since the war began,” Osman said.

Despite modest government support, the hospital remains closed, a stark reminder of the devastation wrought by the conflict.

A glimmer of hope amid uncertainty
While some nations have pledged aid for Sudan’s reconstruction, concerns loom that escalating conflicts in the Middle East, particularly with Iran, could divert attention and resources away from Sudan’s recovery.

“We were already at war, and now we are entering a new conflict, and the issues are piling up,” Osman lamented.

Yet, amidst the chaos, doctors like Eltaeb and Osman continue to fight for their patients and their country.

Their unwavering dedication serves as a beacon of hope in a nation grappling with unimaginable loss and destruction.

As the world’s attention wavers, Sudan’s healthcare professionals are a testament to the enduring power of humanity in the face of adversity.