“There is a huge biological risk associated with the occupation of the central public health lab… by one of the fighting parties.” Said Nima Saeed Abid, WHO representative in Sudan.
The WHO Nima Saeed Abid stated during a press conference that there is a “high risk of biological hazard” after one of the sides participating in the war in Sudan seized a laboratory. She didn’t go into any further detail.
The UK government has ordered the evacuation of British citizens from Sudan. With the first airlifts scheduled to take place today. An RAF plane has taken off from Sudan and is its route to Cyprus.
The truce, which went into effect in Sudan at midnight (22:00 GMT on Monday), is a major reason for the evacuations. But it is being viewed with scepticism because this is the fourth attempt at a truce.
EU member states and African nations have also evacuated their embassies and citizens as civil war fears increase. Fighting between competing military organisations erupted on April 15. As their leaders differed on the country’s direction and the proposed transition to civilian government, with over 450 people killed so far.
Sudan Infrastructure Destroyed
The country’s critical infrastructure has been badly destroyed. Resulting in restricted access to clean water and the internet.
Civilians who are still inside the country have been telling us about their experiences. As physicians risk their lives to save the lives of those who have been hurt.
Eiman ab Garga, a British-Sudanese gynaecologist who works in the UK, was visiting the capital with her children when the fighting began.
She was evacuated to Djibouti last night on a flight organised by France.
They hurried her departure, out of security concerns. And she wasn’t able to say goodbye to her father, mother or sister.
“The country is dirty, there’s rubbish all over it,” she told Radio 4. “There’s sewage overflowing it smells so now we’re next going to have an outbreak of illness. And disease and there won’t be a hospital to go to there.
“We’re just looking at death and destruction and destitution.”
