Khartoum healthcare ‘faces imminent collapse’, Sudan states announce COVID-19 curbs

Hospital managers in Khartoum have warned of an imminent collapse in the provision of health services, as Health Ministry support has dwindled since the October 25 coup. Concerns over the spread of COVID-19 has prompted White Nile state to close all educational facilities until mid-December. River Nile state has registered 10 deaths and 22 cases of COVID-19 within five days.

In a press statement yesterday, the hospital managers in Khartoum warn of “an imminent collapse in the provision of health services that the Khartoum state hospitals,” explaining that the hospitals depend mainly on the support provided by the Khartoum state Ministry of Health, which the pre-coup state government significantly increased earlier this year.

The doctors highlight that “this material support has stopped and the occurrence of a severe shortage of work aids since the coup of October 25”. They say that the various hospitals are suffering, operating with low efficiency, and are in danger of grinding to a complete halt. The flow of support has shut down after the dismissals of many officials from the state Ministry of Health and the re-assignment of elements loyal to the former regime, the doctors say.

Schools closed

The government of White Nile state in Rabak yesterday issued a decision to close all educational institutions in the state from November 30 to December 14 to curtail the spread of COVID-19 in the region.

Acting White Nile state Governor Ismail Warrag explained that the decision is based on the recommendation of the state’s health emergency committee, and includes kindergartens, schools, universities, institutes, colleges, and all government and private educational facilities.

The decision stipulates legal accountability for violators under the Emergency and Public Safety Law.

The Ministry of Health in River Nile state in northern Sudan, announced the registration of 10 deaths and 22 cases of COVID-19 within 5 days, extending from Thursday to Monday. The cases of infection and deaths were recorded in Atbara, Ed Damer, Berber, and Shendi.