Sudan war: Children killed in 'appalling' hospital attack in West Kordofan, says WHO
"Another appalling attack" on a hospital in Sudan has seen more than 40 people killed, many of them children and medics, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) has said."We cannot say this louder," wrote Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on X on Tuesday, "attacks on health must stop everywhere!"Al-Mujlad Hospital was struck on Saturday, and is located in West Kordofan state close to one of the frontlines where Sudan's warring parties are fighting in the conflict that is now in its third year.The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) blames the Sudanese army for attacking the hospital, as do two prominent civil society groups, but the army itself has yet to comment on the allegation.
Since Sudan's civil war began in April 2023, the scale of suffering is so vast that the UN has labelled it the world's worst humanitarian crisis.In addition to the murder of many thousands of civilians, which in one part of the country the US has described as a genocide, and the displacement of millions more, both sides in this conflict have been accused of carrying out war crimes on medical facilities and staff, according to evidence seen by BBC News Arabic.Al-Mujlad Hospital - the facility hit in this latest attack on Saturday - was "the only functioning healthcare facility in the area" according to the Sudan Doctors Network.Of the more than 40 people killed, six of them were children and five were health workers, the WHO's office in Sudan said on Sunday. Dozens of other people were injured too, it added.Crucially, the hospital ran a dialysis unit and focused on the care of civilians as opposed to soldiers, according to the Emergency Lawyers group, which documents abuses by both the RSF and the army.Both the Sudan Doctors Network and the Emergency Lawyers group says the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) were to blame for the attack on Saturday.But the doctors' body says the reason for the attack was that the army was trying to kill RSF fighters "stationed inside" al-Mujlad Hospital. The RSF has not commented on that claim, nor has the army.On Monday, the head of the UN children's agency, Unicef, warned of a "worsening crisis" for children caused by Sudan's civil war and said the aid response lacked two-thirds of the funding needed.Visiting refugees in neighbouring Chad, Catherine Russell said "hundreds of thousands of the most vulnerable children are bearing the brunt of both the war in Sudan and a lack of essential services for those who have fled to Chad".Many children are "malnourished, out of school, and at serious risk of exploitation and disease", she added.Among the most harrowing accounts to come out of Sudan's war is the evidence that armed men are raping and sexually children as young as one. Some children have tried to end their own lives as a result.
More BBC stories on Sudan:
'We took this photo, fearing it would be our last'Sudan in danger of self-destructing as conflict and famine reignUS says Sudan used chemical weapons in war as it issues new sanctions'They ransacked my home and left my town in ruins'
Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent.Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica
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Scientists said their study "rais[ed] urgent concerns about the potential for these viruses to spill over into humans or livestock.' What is Nipah virus? Nipah is a serious, and sometimes deadly, viral disease. It's carried by fruit bats which can be passed onto people. Some patients present no symptoms while others present with severe inflammation of the brain. Symptoms include fever, and headache followed by drowsiness and mental confusion. About half of patients with neurological symptoms also experienced respiratory difficulty. Progression of symptoms People with Nipah usually start getting sick between four and 14 days after they were infected with the virus. They are typically sick for three to 14 days with fever, headache, cough, sore throat, and difficulty breathing. Later in the infection, some people may experience brain swelling, or encephalitis, where severe symptoms can include confusion, drowsiness, and seizures. People with these symptoms can fall into a coma within 24 to 48 hours. How it spreads Nipah virus can be transmitted from bats to humans through contact with infected bat secretions – for example by consuming raw date palm sap The virus can also spread to domestic animals, notably pigs, and cause disease in these populations NiV can also be transmitted through close contact with infected patients How to prevent it If you travel to or live in an area where Nipah virus outbreaks have occurred, you should: Wash your hands regularly with soap and water Avoid contact with flying fox bats or sick pigs Avoid areas where bats roost or Avoid touching anything that could be soiled by bats Avoid eating raw date palm sap or fruit that could be soiled by bats Avoid contact with the blood or body fluids of someone with Nipah How it is treated Treatment is currently limited to supportive care. A vaccine has been developed to protect horses and this holds promise for future henipavirus protection for humans Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Dr Alison Peel, a veterinarian and wildlife disease ecologist from the Sydney School of Veterinary Science at The University of Sydney, said: "The main significance of this work lies in the discovery of viruses in bats in China that are 'evolutionary cousins' to two of the most concerning pathogens in humans – Hendra virus and Nipah virus – which circulate in bats and are highly fatal if they spill over into people." But she said the viruses require further study before we can definitively state that they can pass on from bats to people. "While one of the new viruses in this study appears to be the closest known relative to these highly fatal viruses, there are some genetic differences in the regions of the virus responsible for binding to and entering cells, so we can't automatically assume that it can cross over to new species. "We have other examples of close evolutionary cousins to Hendra and Nipah that appear not to be of any concern for spillover, so there will need to be some more laboratory studies on these new viruses to determine the actual risk. Dr Peel went on: "Importantly, the bats infected with the Hendra-like virus were captured in fruit orchards, highlighting potential opportunities for contact with humans and domestic species. "Our research on Hendra virus spillover in Australia has demonstrated clear links between habitat destruction, loss of natural food, and increased spillover risk – so this may also be the case in China. "Rather than focusing on bats as the problem, we've also shown evidence that protecting and restoring bat food sources is an effective and sustainable solution." What is Hendra virus? Hendra disease is an extremely rare illness caused by the Hendra virus. Hendra virus was first identified during a 1994 outbreak of lung and brain disease in horses and people in Hendra, Australia. The virus is part of the same virus family as Nipah virus. Flying fox bats can infect horses with the virus when they bite the horses. Horses can also be infected if they are exposed to the urine, droppings, or saliva of an infected bat. Hendra infections in people remain rare; only seven cases have ever been reported. Progression of symptoms Symptoms in people typically begin nine and 16 days after they had contact with an infected horse. Hendra infection can cause lung problems with severe flu-like symptoms. In some cases, illness may progress to brain swelling. Hendra infections are rare. However, it leads to death in more than half of people who get it (57 per cent). Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
