WHO playing a crucial role in the Sudan conflict, Dr Richard Brennan tells News Tap One

For the first time, combat erupted throughout Khartoum and other locations in Sudan as two strong competing military factions engaged in battle. This increased the likelihood of a national civil war and engulfed the capital city in turmoil. The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of Sudan claimed that a 72-hour ceasefire began at 0400 GMT on Friday, however Reuters reported that inhabitants of Khartoum and Bahri, a sister city, heard gunshots as Sudanese forces moved through the towns on foot.

Read More: UNSC has no plans to send peacekeeping force to Sudan – spokesman tells News Tap One

Exclusive

Dr Richard Brennan [Regional Emergency Director in WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region] answered to questions raised by Sai Ram B [Founder and Editor at NewsTapOne.com] on the role of World Health Organisation in the Sudan Conflict.

Questions

1. What training and education programs has WHO implemented to ensure healthcare workers have the necessary knowledge and skills to deal with the pandemic and the conflict?
2. What measures has WHO put in place to support the mental health and wellbeing of healthcare workers in Sudan, given the traumatic nature of their work?
3. Are there any financial or material assistance programs in place to support healthcare workers in Sudan, and how are they being implemented in the midst of the conflict?

Answer of Dr Richard Brennan

WHO mandate is to ensure that health workers can provide health care in a safe and protected environment without disruption from acts of violence. So WHO systematically collects evidence of attacks on health care, increase awareness about the extent and consequences of attacks on health, and advocate for the end of such attacks.

WHO also previously supported the Ministry of Health in conducting multiple trainings on mass casualty management and critical care: over 1,000 HCWs were trained in basic emergency care and 230 in mass causality management

WHO remains committed to protecting the health of the Sudanese people, and is actively working to ensure urgently needed medical supplies are delivered to health facilities so health workers trained by WHO on mass casualty management and emergency care can use them to treat people and save lives.

Fuel has been distributed to some hospitals – WHO has committed to reimbursement of the related costs incurred by hospitals.

6 containers of WHO medical supplies have arrived in Port Sudan by ship, including supplies for the treatment of traumatic injuries and the treatment of severe acute malnutrition. WHO is working with customs to off-load the ship and move supplies to Port Sudan warehouses.

Additional emergency medical supplies amounting to 30 metric tons of trauma and emergency surgery kits and interagency emergency health kits are pending landing permits to depart from the WHO logistics hub in Dubai by charter flight.

WHO condemns in the strongest terms the increasing attacks on health in Sudan, and the occupation of a number of health facilities by military forces. Attacks on health care are a violation of international law and the right to health: they must stop.