Al-Daein, January 15 (Darfur24)
New fees imposed by the civilian administration in East Darfur on trucks crossing at the Al-Raqibat border with South Sudan have led to rising drug prices, worsening the already fragile healthcare situation in the state, sources said.
The owner of a pharmaceutical agency in East Darfur told Darfur24 that increased charges at the Al-Raqibat crossing have directly affected medicine costs, noting that most pharmaceutical supplies enter the state through South Sudan.
A companion of a patient at Al-Daein Teaching Hospital, who requested anonymity, said prices of essential medicines — including antibiotics, intravenous fluids, and diabetes treatments — have risen by about 25%. He added that these medicines are increasingly unavailable at the hospital and public health centers, forcing patients to seek them in private pharmacies at high cost.
Last December, the East Darfur civilian administration issued a decree imposing taxes of 500,000 Sudanese pounds on each truck crossing the border. The fees include charges for state services, border trade, customs, standards and metrology, and local authority levies, in addition to other payments related to economic security, zakat, and transit fees.
Health workers and residents warn that the continued rise in medicine prices risks further limiting access to treatment for thousands of patients across the state.