Rahad Al-Bardi, August 10 (Darfur24)
Rahad Al-Bardi Local Hospital in South Darfur State is facing a severe shortage of medical staff, with only one doctor available to serve thousands of people from the locality and surrounding areas.
The hospital provides healthcare to residents of Rahad Al-Bardi and neighbouring towns, as well as people living in the border areas of the Central African Republic.
A local medical source told Darfur24 that the hospital has adequate medical equipment and continues to receive emergency medicines, but is severely understaffed.
The source said the hospital previously had three doctors. One has left, while another stopped practicing because of internal disputes, leaving only one doctor to provide medical services.
The remaining doctor works alongside seven medical assistants and is responsible for treating thousands of patients from the locality and surrounding areas.
The source said emergency medicines are regularly supplied by the South Darfur Ministry of Health and humanitarian organizations operating in the state. However, he warned that the arrival of medical supplies could be disrupted during the rainy season because of deteriorating road conditions.
Residents of Rahad Al-Bardi, Umm Dafuq, Aburi, and Karkar—areas bordering the Central African Republic—face worsening access to healthcare during the rainy season, when flooding and poor roads make movement between communities and medical facilities more difficult.
Residents told Darfur24 that the seasonal disruption could result in preventable deaths, particularly among pregnant women and children, who require timely access to emergency medical care.