No end in sight for Sudanese doctors’ strike

The open-ended strike by doctors and medical professionals in Sudan continues to spread across the country as it enters its sixth day, without any sign of solutions to their demands.

The Central Committee of Doctors confirmed to Radio Dabanga that doctors and medical professionals have now downed tools at a further 49 hospitals and health centres across the country. The latest major institution to join the strike is El Fasher Teaching Hospital in the capital of North Darfur.

The Committee also revealed that three specialist doctors were dismissed from the Chinese Hospital inKhartoum on Monday. Doctors in Ibrahim Malik, Bahri, Wednobawi, Umbadda, and Jabra hospitals were threatened with similar action.

The now country-wide strike began when doctors called a strike in Khartoum state, in protest against repeated attacks by relatives of patients as well as armed robberies.

The Committee say the strike will not be lifted until the doctors’ demands have been met.

Solidarity and support

Broad sectors of the Sudanese community including political parties, armed movements, civil society organisations, and work unions have expressed solidarity and support for the doctors' strike.

The National Consensus Forces, Sudan Appeal, the Communist Party, the Umma, Baath, the Sudanese Congress and the Federal Unionist parties have announced their support for the doctors ' legitimate demands.

Khalid Omar, the Deputy President of the Sudanese Congress Party announced standing with doctors to get their rights and dignity as part of the dignity of the Sudanese people.

Diaspora

The Sudanese expat doctors in Britain, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar have expressed their absolute support for the Sudanese doctors' strike.

The Sudanese journalists’ network has also expressed support for the legitimate demands of the doctors and called on all media to reflect the causes of the doctors and their strike.

The security services banned newspapers from publishing any activities or news about the doctors’ strike by forcing editors adopt a line hostile to the strike. In addition, the Sudanese security apparatus is flooding of the social media with confusing and conflicting reports about the doctors’ strike and demands.