Sudanese medics at MUH highlight 'forgotten crisis'

Mayo University Hospital’s large Sudanese medical community have come together to raise awareness of the horrors of war that continue to devastate their home country.

There are 60 doctors from Sudan working at Mayo University Hospital (MUH) in Castlebar, and the doctors held a lunchtime vigil outside the hospital shortly before Christmas to highlight the plight of their nation.

Sudan is suffering from the largest humanitarian crisis globally and its civilians are continuing to pay the price for inaction by the international community. The county’s civil war is now entering its third year.

The consequences for Sudan’s 51 million people have been devastating. More than 150,000 are reportedly dead or missing. Hundreds of thousands face famine and around 13 million people have been displaced, four million of those to neighbouring countries.

The war, which erupted in April 2023, stems from a violent power struggle between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The ensuing battle for control has resulted in "indiscriminate killings, mass sexual violence against women and girls, enforced disappearances and the obstruction of humanitarian assistance", according to a report published by a panel of experts appointed by the United Nations.

“So many people have been killed, so many children are suffering,” Dr Ahmed Alamin told the Western People. “Right now, all my family has been displaced outside of Sudan. This is the case for so many. 

"This war has been ongoing for more than two years. We need to stop this war. We need to stop this killing. Right now while we are talking here there are many people being killed in Sudan,” he stated.

Dr Alamin said he believes other countries with vested interests are “feeding this war in Sudan". More than 60 doctors from Sudan are working in MUH, including Dr Tarrig Hassan, an Emergency Medicine Registrar, who has been working at the Castlebar hospital for the past five years. His elderly parents and his two brothers have been forced to flee their home in Khartoum and take refuge in Egypt. He said they had to spend two days in the desert without any food or water and more than 10 days at the Egyptian border before they were able to escape.

“We have to be strong because everybody back home is depending on us,” said Dr Hassan. "What is happening in Sudan is worse than what’s happening in Gaza,” he added.

"The militia are stealing everything from houses, killing, raping, kidnapping,” Dr Hassan added.

The Sudanese community have been leaning on each other for support.

"The Sudanese community here in Castlebar are very close to each other. Almost every week the families will gather together. We have a large Sudanese community in Castlebar, most of which are working in the hospital,” said Dr Hassan.

He thanked his hospital colleagues and neighbours during this difficult time.

“I would like to thank all the people of County Mayo,” said Dr Hassan.

The relationship between Sudanese doctors and Mayo University Hospital started in the 1980s, explained Dr Kamal Elmahi, who first came to Mayo in 2021.

Sudanese doctors were sponsored to come to Ireland and to MUH.

“Since that time the number of Sudanese doctors has increased in Mayo because of the good reputation of the hospital amongst the Sudanese doctors,” said Dr Elmahi.

Dr Ahmed Osman recently returned to Sudan and saw the devastation in his home country. He witnessed “devastation everywhere” with dogs feeding on dead bodies.

“People are suffering. You can see the fear in the eyes of the kids.

“It’s a forgotten crisis,” he stated.