Central Darfur hospital staff strikes for security

A policeman assaulted the medical director of a hospital in Bindisi locality, Central Darfur state, on Sunday. The incident resulted in a work stoppage in the hospital until Monday.

Employees in the health insurance hospital said that they will not return to work unless full protection is provided to the doctor, and the policeman is held accountable.

Witnesses told Radio Dabanga that the incident occurred when the policeman arrived in the private hospital carrying a sick child. The child died on arrival, which prompted the policeman to focus his anger on the medical director and hold him responsible.

The residents of Bindisi appealed to the doctor and the medical staff to return to work and provide treatment to the patients, especially since the area has been experiencing many cases of malaria. Five people died within four days, a witness reported.

He said that the native administration’s workers went to the medical director and have vowed to protect him. They also appealed to the police, the security services and the locality commissioner to intervene and solve the problem.

In Central Darfur, doctors working at Zalingei Hospital also embarked on a strike on 10 August, in protest against the deterioration of the work environment and non-payment of their bonuses.

Also doctors in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, went on strike last week against the deteriorating security in the Teaching Hospital. A Central Reserve Police member beat a female doctor when she refused to give his wife priority treatment.