WHO Condemns Massacre of Patients and Health Workers in Sudan

By Staff Reporter

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday, 29 October 2025, condemned the killing of more than 460 patients and companions and the abduction of six health workers following a brutal attack on the Saudi Maternity Hospital in El Fasher, Sudan.

The horrific assault, which occurred on 28 October, is the latest in a string of violent attacks devastating the city of El Fasher in North Darfur. The Saudi Maternity Hospital, the only partially functioning hospital in the area was struck for the fourth time this month, killing one nurse and injuring three others on 26 October, before the mass killings just two days later. Among the abducted are four doctors, a nurse, and a pharmacist whose whereabouts remain unknown.

Since the conflict erupted in the region, violence against health care workers and facilities has escalated sharply. At least 46 health workers have been killed in El Fasher alone, including the State Ministry of Health’s Director of Primary Health Care, while another 48 have been injured. The fate of staff from three nongovernmental organizations operating in the city remains uncertain.

WHO condemned these attacks “in the strongest terms,” calling them blatant violations of international humanitarian law. The organization emphasized that hospitals and health personnel must be protected under all circumstances and that the targeting of health care is an unacceptable assault on human dignity and survival.

Beyond the violence, humanitarian conditions in El Fasher have reached catastrophic levels. More than 260,000 people remain trapped in the besieged city with little or no access to food, clean water, or medical care. In recent days, around 28,000 residents have fled the city 26,000 to rural El Fasher and up to 2,000 to Tawila with over 100,000 more expected to follow. Most of the displaced are women and unaccompanied children who face acute shortages of food, shelter, and protection.

The health crisis is further compounded by a growing cholera outbreak. This year alone, El Fasher has reported 272 suspected cases and 32 deaths a case fatality rate nearing 12%. Across the greater Darfur region, over 18,000 cases and 662 deaths have been recorded in 40 localities. Malnutrition is surging, particularly among children and pregnant women, due to prolonged food shortages and restricted humanitarian access since February 2025.

Despite the dangerous conditions, WHO and its partners continue to operate emergency services where possible. Twenty metric tons of medicines and emergency supplies, including cholera and malnutrition treatment kits, are being transported from Nyala to Tawila to support medical teams caring for displaced populations. Additional supplies from Chad are being fast-tracked to reach those in need. WHO is also coordinating stabilization centers in Korma and preparing to deploy rapid response teams in Tawila and surrounding areas to treat the injured and control disease outbreaks.

In conclusion, As El Fasher’s humanitarian crisis deepens, WHO has called for an immediate end to hostilities in Sudan, demanding respect for the sanctity of health care, protection for civilians and aid workers, and urgent humanitarian access to deliver lifesaving aid. The organization warned that without swift action, thousands more lives will be lost to violence, disease, and starvation in the coming weeks.

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