• Over 40 people killed in a hospital attack in Sudan, including children and health workers.
• WHO's Tedros calls for an immediate end to attacks on healthcare facilities.
• The hospital was the only functioning healthcare provider in the region, now destroyed.
• Responsibility for the strike remains disputed, with various parties blaming each other.
• The ongoing conflict has led to severe humanitarian issues, especially for children.

On Saturday, Al Mujlad Hospital in Sudan's West Kordofan state was the site of a devastating attack that resulted in the deaths of more than 40 individuals, including numerous children and health workers, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) Director General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. This incident is one of the deadliest assaults on healthcare in the region since the civil war began in April 2023. The WHO reported that among the victims were six children and five medical staff, highlighting the extensive damage to the hospital facility, which was considered crucial for providing medical care to the local population, especially civilians. The attack drew sharp condemnation from Tedros, who stated, “attacks on health must stop everywhere” and emphasized that healthcare facilities should not be targeted, according to Reuters, trtglobal, BBC, and Africanews.

The attack occurred near ongoing combat between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Critics, including human rights organization Emergency Lawyers, allege that an army drone was responsible for the strike. Reports vary on the exact death toll, with some organizations indicating a lower figure initially. There is a heated dispute over responsibility for the attack; civil society groups have accused the army of targeting RSF fighters believed to be sheltering inside the hospital, allegations that the SAF has not publicly addressed, as highlighted by Reuters, trtglobal, and BBC.

The humanitarian implications of this incident are profound. The WHO has indicated that access to healthcare has become severely limited due to such attacks, aligning with the UN's characterization of the conflict as the world's worst humanitarian crisis. UNICEF has warned that children are particularly vulnerable, facing malnutrition, lack of schooling, and the threat of exploitation amidst the ongoing violence. The international community continues to press for accountability and a cessation of violence against healthcare personnel and facilities as war crimes continue to accumulate, according to Reuters, trtglobal, BBC, and Africanews.