‘Sudan’s patients travel 500km as El Gezira’s health system collapses’

Sudan’s El Gezira state, once a leading centre for medical care after Khartoum, is facing a near total collapse of its health system, forcing residents to travel hundreds of kilometres for even basic tests, according to statements made to Radio Dabanga.

Activists monitoring the situation report that patients are now routinely travelling to the northern city of Merowe, nearly 500 km away, to access routine laboratory services and essential treatment.

Elnour El Bashir, an activist closely following developments in the state, told Radio Dabanga yesterday that the journey has become a necessity for many. Residents, he said, move “from village to city and back again” in search of care, only to find services unavailable.

“They have no choice but to travel to northern Sudan,” he added, describing long distances and sharply increased costs that place further strain on already vulnerable households.

‘Speciality medical hubs in decline’

The scale of the deterioration is particularly striking given El Gezira State’s previous standing as one of the country’s foremost medical hubs. The state was long known for its concentration of hospitals and specialised centres, including facilities for cardiac, renal, and cancer treatment.

These services have reportedly either ceased functioning or been severely degraded since the outbreak of war.

Local sources indicate that more than 60 hospitals and health facilities have been rendered inoperative since the conflict began.

Attacks have reportedly damaged critical infrastructure, while widespread insecurity has forced many facilities to suspend services entirely.

A severe shortage of medical supplies, coupled with the departure of healthcare professionals, has further compounded the crisis.

‘Limited improvement’

Despite the widespread collapse, El Nour said there have been modest signs of recovery in some areas.

“We can say that health services have partially improved after the war,” he noted, “but they still need a lot of work, especially in medical analysis.”

He urged the authorities to prioritise the rehabilitation of damaged facilities and restore essential services, warning that the financial and physical burden on residents is becoming increasingly unsustainable.

Radio Dabanga was unable to independently verify the full extent of the reported damage to health infrastructure across El Gezira state.