Sudan medics’ strike deepens after new attack

Doctors in Khartoum and El Gezira states have intensified the ongoing strike action after an attack on a woman doctor at Hassahisa hospital in El Gezira.

In response to the new attack, the Central Committee of Doctors in Sudan announced the continuation of their comprehensive open strike in Omdurman, Bahri, Haji El Safi, Ibn Sina, Omdurman Maternity, and the Saudi Maternity hospitals.

On 9 September, the doctors of the Wad Madani Emergency Hospital and the El Gezira Centre for Injuries and Surgery, decided to down tools for an indefinite period after two of them were beaten-up that day.

Doctors at Omdurman hospital, Bahri, Ibrahim Malik, Ibn Sina, Ali Abdelfattah in El Doroshab, El Bulook in Omdurman, and El Nahud hospital in West Kordofan downed tools on September 25 after doctors were severely beaten during an armed robbery.

The Committee’s information officer, Dr Mohammed El Asam, announced the implementation of an open-ended strike for cold cases in all hospitals in Sudan that will come into effect tomorrow.

“the strike will only be lifted when emergency departments are provided with equipment, the work environment is improved, and legislation is passed to protect doctors and other medical personnel while performing their duties..”

Dr El Asam said the strike will only be lifted when emergency departments are provided with equipment, the work environment is improved, and legislation is passed to protect doctors and other medical personnel while performing their duties.

Omdurman

The Board of Directors of Omdurman teaching hospital called upon the doctors to perform their duties. The Board said in a statement it has responded to all the doctors’ demands.

However Dr El Asam, however, denied that their demands have been answered and added that on Tuesday, they raised their demands to the Federal Ministry of Heath asking for provision of services to the people and protection to the doctors.

A state of paralysis has prevailed in the hospitals in Khartoum state as a result of the halt of emergency services following the strike of thousands of doctors in protest against the deterioration of work environment, lack of services and the increase in assaults on doctors.

Second Vice-President

Last week, Sudan’s Second Vice-President, Hassabo Mohamed Abdelrahman, echoed the doctors’ concerns and called for the provision of security at hospitals and the emergency units, as well as adherence to access-control regulations at hospitals. His appeal, while chairing a meeting of the Council of Ministers assigned to discuss the situation of hospitals, was reported by the official Sudan News Agency (SUNA).

Violent attacks

According to Sudanese doctors and health workers, more than 90 per cent of violent attacks on them are perpetrated by police and security agents.

In early September the head of the Medical Professions Union, Yasir Mohamed Ibrahim, pointed out in a symposium that most of the cases reported have not been investigated, nor have the perpetrators been brought to justice.

One of the doctors at the symposium commented that “there is a state of impunity. Many police and regular forces continuously assault doctors without being subjected to punishment.”

Press gagged

Also this week, Sudan’s National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) has warned the Sudanese press not report any news about striking of medics in the country.

In telephone messages, editors-in-chief in Khartoum were told that the strikes by medical workers in Wad Madani and Khartoum are ‘red line subjects’*.

*During the past years, the NISS upgraded its already severe restrictions on press freedoms by restoring 'pre-publication censorship' and issuing a number of 'red lines' on matters that are not supposed to be covered by the media.

Sudan rates 176, together with Gambia and Venezuela, of the 199 countries listed in the Freedom of the Press 2015 report of the USA-based Freedom House.