Nyala Paediatric Centre
The Nyala Paediatric Centre reopened in 2020.
Fighting in Sudan: Impact on EMERGENCY’s Facilities Across the Country
On the morning of 15 April 2023, armed conflict began in the streets of Sudan’s capital, Khartoum. Fighting has since spread throughout the country, and displaced millions.
EMERGENCY immediately reshaped its activities in Sudan.
On 25 October 2023, several Sudanese staff members at the Nyala Paediatric Centre were arrested and later released without charge; in the meantime, the Centre was looted. For security reasons, we were forced to suspend activities.
Some activities have resumed:
- all activities for cardiac patients, including screenings, examinations, consultations, and distribution of medications to patients operated on at the Salam Centre for Cardiac Surgery;
- vaccinations for children.
Background
Darfur is often struck by the disastrous effects of famines, floods, epidemics (mainly measles, hepatitis, scabies, and cholera) and internal conflict, as well as the subsequent migration of its population.
Nyala is the capital of the state of South Darfur and home to more than 800,000 people. Most of them have no access to basic health services.
Many people live in extreme poverty, and health conditions are critical, especially for women and children. Meanwhile, shortages of medical workers and medicine make it even harder to meet local healthcare needs.
The Centre
The Paediatric Centre provides free and high- quality paediatric treatment to children under 14.
The Centre is equipped with three paediatric clinics, a heart clinic, a radiology room, a laboratory for analysis, a pharmacy, and a hospital ward with 18 bed spaces, as well as other integral facilities like the stock room, offices and kitchen.
The land that the Paediatric Centre is built on was provided by the state government of South Darfur. Here, the structure was built with a strong focus on using sustainable techniques. These include an innovative air conditioning system that uses water to provide natural ventilation for the clinic, inspired by traditional methods from the northern Sahara.
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Temporary closure of the Paediatric Centre between 2011 and 2020
After our logistician was kidnapped in August 2011, we were forced to suspend the clinic’s activities for security reasons. Our colleague was freed a few months later, in December 2011.
Since then, we have never stopped looking for a way to safely restart activities in Nyala, knowing how important it was to the people of Darfur.
Once we were reassured of the essential safety conditions by local authorities, we began reconstruction and renovation work in August 2018.
The Centre reopened its doors in November 2020.
This project is funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS).
Programme Data:
Outpatients Consultations: 64,240
Patients Admitted: 2,658
Cardiological Consultations: 1,419
(Data updated to January 2023)
