Women medical professionals in Khartoum risk their lives to provide care during the ongoing conflict in Sudan, choosing duty over personal safety. Their dedication is unwavering as they navigate a system under siege, facing daily threats and overwhelming challenges. Notable figures like Dr. Safaa Ali and Dr. Fathia Abdelmajed exemplify this commitment, highlighting the vital role of healthcare workers in conflict zones.
In April 2023, as conflict engulfed Khartoum, Dr. Safaa Ali faced a harrowing choice between her family and her patients. Despite the peril, she chose to remain in the war-torn capital to fulfill her medical duty, becoming one of the last obstetricians willing to risk her life for safe births in a collapsing healthcare system. Since then, she has not seen her family, reflecting the struggle many medical professionals endure amidst the chaos.
Dr. Ali is part of a dedicated group of healthcare workers in Khartoum and Omdurman who continue to serve in perilous conditions, as their hospitals face attacks and bombings. Operating theatres have become battle zones, and many colleagues have tragically lost their lives while performing their duties. Yet, they persist daily, driven by a commitment to their patients and a deep passion for their work.
Among these frontline heroes is Bothaina Abdelrahman, who has dedicated 27 years as a janitor at Al-Nao Hospital in Omdurman. Through significant personal sacrifice, she walks four hours daily to support the hospital, showcasing the unwavering dedication of even non-medical staff in these trying times. Medical personnel are routinely accused of collaborating with enemies, leading to dangerous situations such as kidnappings and attacks.
The grim statistical backdrop includes the closure of up to 90 percent of hospitals in conflict areas, with at least 78 health workers reported killed since the onset of the war. The World Health Organization has recorded numerous attacks on health facilities, highlighting the severe strain on the medical community.
Khansa al-Moatasem leads the nursing team at Al-Nao, the only hospital in Omdurman still operational despite ongoing assaults. She considers it an honor to contribute her skills to the hospital amid such adversity. After multiple direct hits on Al-Nao, Dr. Ali was forced to develop alternative care methods, establishing mobile clinics when the Saudi maternity hospital partially reopened.
Though a fragile sense of normality has returned following military retakes in early 2024, healthcare facilities remain vulnerable. Attackers often disregard hospital safety protocols, with Al-Nao experiencing artillery strikes in February while treating casualties. The reliance on grassroots volunteers has become essential, particularly as experienced practitioners like Dr. Fathia Abdelmajed take on training young, overwhelmed teams in the fight to serve their community.
Dr. Abdelmajed, with a career spanning four decades, expresses immense pride in supporting the next generation of frontline workers, deeming it a career highlight despite the harrowing circumstances. Her dedication and that of countless others reflect a profound commitment to healthcare in the face of extraordinary challenges.
The situation faced by women medics in Sudan is emblematic of their profound dedication amid warfare. Despite personal sacrifices, such as separation from families and witnessing the horrors of conflict, these healthcare workers remain committed to providing essential medical services. With hospitals being destroyed and healthcare systems under immense strain, the resilience of these women and their colleagues symbolizes hope and humanity in crisis.
Original Source: www.rfi.fr
