{"id":20130161,"date":"2026-03-27T18:44:40","date_gmt":"2026-03-27T17:44:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dabangasudan.org\/?p=20130161"},"modified":"2026-03-27T18:48:53","modified_gmt":"2026-03-27T17:48:53","slug":"sudans-patients-travel-500km-as-el-geziras-health-system-collapses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dabangasudan.org\/en\/all-news\/article\/sudans-patients-travel-500km-as-el-geziras-health-system-collapses","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Sudan\u2019s patients travel 500km as El Gezira\u2019s health system collapses\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Sudan\u2019s 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.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

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 \u201cfrom village to city and back again\u201d in search of care, only to find services unavailable<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey have no choice but to travel to northern Sudan,\u201d he added, describing long distances and sharply increased costs that place further strain on already vulnerable households.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018Speciality medical hubs in decline\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The scale of the deterioration is particularly striking given El Gezira State\u2019s previous standing as one of the country\u2019s foremost medical hubs. The state was long known for its concentration of hospitals and specialised centres, including facilities for cardiac, renal, and cancer treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These services have reportedly either ceased functioning or been severely degraded since the outbreak of war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Local sources indicate that more than 60 hospitals and health facilities have been rendered inoperative<\/a> since the conflict began.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Attacks have reportedly damaged critical infrastructure<\/a>, while widespread insecurity has forced many facilities to suspend services entirely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A severe shortage of medical supplies, coupled with the departure of healthcare professionals, has further compounded the crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018Limited improvement\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite the widespread collapse, El Nour said there have been modest signs of recovery in some areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe can say that health services have partially improved after the war,\u201d he noted, \u201cbut they still need a lot of work, especially in medical analysis.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Radio Dabanga was unable to independently verify the full extent of the reported damage to health infrastructure across El Gezira state.<\/p>\n