Health situation in Central Darfur ‘rapidly deteriorating’

Zalingei – June 27, 2023

Activists in Zalingei, Central Darfur, reported that the health situation is rapidly deteriorating. The town faces medical shortages after attacks by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

Many medical specialists left the city and life-saving medicines are scarce, they said in a report on the events between June 16 and 19, issued yesterday.

The hospital of Zalingei is still operating despite the lack of medicines and staff. Zalingei residents continue to flee the city. The hospital was forced to close earlier this month after it was looted.

The RSF reportedly plundered a medical storage facility for the distribution of medicines to health centres in the nine localities of the state.

The report accused forces loyal to the RSF of plundering the Zalingei University, and the RSF commander in Central Darfur of obstructing the power supply needed for the communications network.

The activists also confirmed the RSF’s continued control of the Garsila army garrison.

Mustafa Tambour, head of the breakaway Sudan Liberation Movement-Tambour, warned of a humanitarian catastrophe earlier this month.

“The militiamen have committed the most heinous crimes in Zalingei, including killings, looting, and theft that affected all facilities and led to the outage of Zalingei Teaching Hospital,” Tambour said.

The Zalingei Teaching Hospital is the main referral hospital in Central Darfur and thus plays an important role in the entire region.