A surgeon keeps a bombed hospital running during Sudan's war
AP News • • world
Key Points:
- Dr. Jamal Eltaeb, an orthopedic surgeon, has led Al Nao hospital in Omdurman through Sudan’s ongoing conflict, choosing to stay and provide care despite bombings, supply shortages, and intense pressure.
- Nearly 40% of Sudan’s hospitals are non-functional due to the war, with many used as armed group bases or stripped for parts, leaving Al Nao as one of the few operational health centers in the area.
- Eltaeb and his team faced dire conditions, performing surgeries on floors and in tents, often without adequate anesthesia or medicines, and making critical life-or-death decisions amid mass casualties.
- Volunteers and overseas Sudanese doctors helped sustain the hospital by delivering supplies and providing remote medical advice, while local staff improvised with limited resources to treat patients.
- Although fighting has moved away from Khartoum, the hospital still requires significant funding—about $40,000 monthly—to continue operating, amid concerns that regional conflicts may divert international aid from Sudan’s recovery efforts.
