Medicines in short supply or unaffordable in Darfur

Patients in Darfur have complained about the lack of medicines, making them unaffordable. They point to the exit of a number of pharmaceutical companies from Sudan.

A number of patients and their families in El Geneina, Nyala, Zalingei, and El Fasher hospitals in Darfur have complained of lack of medicines and their high prices. The patients said that all they get in hospitals is prescriptions from doctors, and complain of the lack of medical examination devices, drinking water, and toilets in the hospitals.

A number of patients told Radio Dabanga, that four dialysis machines in El Fasher Teaching Hospital are non-operational, in addition to the CT scanner. They expressed their grief and concern for not being able to afford to go to Khartoum.

The Central Pharmacists Committee said the country will face an even worse medicine crisis in the next few weeks because a number of the companies involved in the import of medicine are planning to stop the import of medicines to Sudan until further notice because of the rise of the Dollar prices.

They pointed out that the exit of a number of pharmaceutical companies from the medicine market in Sudan has led to the stop of the import of many types of medicines.

In February, Indian and English pharmaceutical companies left the Sudanese market, such as Sun Pharma, which specialises in psychiatric and neurological medicines. Also the scientific office of the Saudi company Jamjoom in Khartoum has had to shut down.