Dubai surgeon stranded in Sudan treats civilians for gunshot wounds

Dr Yasir Amin Latif's Ramadan visit to his parents put him in front line at a hospital in Khartoum

Dubai resident Dr Yasir Amin Latif planned to spend the last week of Ramadan with his parents in Sudan when fighting broke out. Photo: Dr Latif

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A Sudanese surgeon has spoken of how he treated civilians for gunshot wounds in Khartoum.

Dr Yasir Amin Latif, who lives in Dubai, flew to his home country for the final 10 days of Ramadan, just as fighting among its military generals spilt into open warfare.

Since then, he and his colleagues at a hospital in north Khartoum have been inundated with people who were caught in the crossfire.

Dr Latif, who is a general surgeon, told The National that staff at the hospital were quickly running out of supplies.

Chaos on the streets and shelling near the airport — the scene of some of the fiercest fighting — means he and thousands of others are unable to leave Sudan.

Forces loyal to army chief Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan are fighting the country's paramilitary unit the Rapid Support Forces, led by Gen Mohamed Dagalo.

More than 400 people have been killed and thousands injured in two weeks of fighting.

“The situation remains unclear and precarious, as the Sudanese military and the RSF are imposing a siege on the entire region. This is why fleeing the country is almost impossible,” Dr Latif said by phone.

“It is our way of giving back to the community and we believe that it is the least we can do for our country,” he said, speaking of his colleagues.

“We don't have good equipment. We don't have medical supplies and we are running out of all antiseptics. It is very, very bad.”

Dr Latif, who has worked at Dubai Hospital and Mediclinic Welcare Hospital, said he was relieved that his wife and children were not with him.

“Visiting parents during the last 10 days of Ramadan and spending Eid with them is a cultural tradition,” he said.

“My wife and kids are residents of the UAE. They flew to Egypt during this important time in Ramadan, while I travelled to Sudan to be with my parents.

“Given the severe shortage of doctors in Sudan, we feel a sense of duty and responsibility to provide aid and assistance to those in need during this difficult time.

“I need to arrange transportation for my parents and sisters and their children to leave Sudan. My mother is elderly, and I am concerned for her safety.”

He said there was no time for rest. “We are tirelessly working and receiving patients 24/7. It's impossible to find a moment to sleep, and I don't even have time for naps,” Dr Latif said.

“I've been at this hospital for almost four or five days straight, and I need to move my parents away from the chaos.

“I have only managed to get a few hours of sleep during this time, which I have split between the hospital and my place, where I go to take a shower. My house is within walking distance, but it's dangerous to walk due to the risk of getting shot.”

Khartoum, the metropolis made up of three distinct regions — Khartoum, Khartoum North, and Omdurman — is a war zone

The Nile divides these regions, where violence and unrest are common.

“The situation in Sudan is becoming increasingly horrifying, with the sounds of rockets and warplane shelling constantly heard. The city is without electricity or running water,” he said.

“During these four days, I vividly remember that we witnessed a minimum of two to seven deaths every day, all of which were innocent civilians who had been hit by stray bullets.

“Many residents are wounded and some have lost their lives during the conflict. Unfortunately, the hospitals in the region cannot accommodate the vast number of wounded.

“The most common injuries we have observed are in the upper and lower limbs, abdomen, trunk, and vascular regions. Unfortunately, we have also had a case where an individual was shot in the head.

“I have performed surgeries on gunshot victims. Unfortunately, some of them did not survive.”

Despite the challenges, Dr Latif is on duty at the hospital every day to treat the wounded.

He said other hospitals in the city are also running short of medical supplies.

“We are currently experiencing a shortage of medical supplies, and our supplies come from doctors' organisations or the Red Cross,” he said.

“During times of emergency, I have even requested help from soldiers and the RSF to obtain supplies quickly to assist our patients. Unfortunately, their assistance has been inadequate, and we often don't have enough medical supplies to meet the demand.

“Several hospitals have been targeted by bombings, making the challenges worse,” he said.

Dr Latif said the poor internet was making it worse.

“Our internet network is consistently weak, and we are currently facing a challenge with our phone batteries running out of data,” he said.

“We are unable to recharge our phones … As a temporary solution, I am borrowing from a friend, but I don't think we will have enough data to last for the next two days.

“This has resulted in slow communication, and soon we may lose phone communication altogether from the ward.”

The first day of Eid was marked in Sudan by heavy fighting, gunfire, and explosions across Khartoum.

The city has been the scene of some of the fiercest fighting. There have been air strikes and tanks battles in densely occupied districts.

Most of the city's five million residents have been sheltering at home in baking heat without electricity, food or water. Communications are heavily disrupted.