South Sudan: Armed looting closes lifesaving MSF hospital

“We are outraged by the attack,” says Zakariya Mwatia, MSF Head of Mission in South Sudan. “This facility has been a lifeline for the community at a time of escalating violence and an active cholera outbreak. . . . We are gravely concerned about the devastating impact . . . on already vulnerable communities, who now face even greater barriers to accessing lifesaving care.

Patients began fleeing the hospital in the evening of 13 April as violence drew closer to Ulang. More than 100 were admitted and receiving critical treatment at the time. While some remained as long as they could, they were forced to flee when the men entered the hospital and began looting room by room.

Although no staff have been injured, MSF is extremely concerned for the safety of its teams and the patients. “[They are] . . . our foremost priority,” says Mwatia. “We are taking all necessary measures to evacuate our teams as we fear further escalation of violence. This unacceptable act of violence shows a complete disregard for humanitarian principles and international humanitarian law.”

An emerging pattern of insecurity is affecting healthcare in the region. In January 2025, armed men attacked two marked MSF boats carrying six staff returning to Ulang after delivering medical supplies to Nasir County Hospital. The incident forced MSF to suspend all outreach activities.

MSF has been providing hospital care alongside a network of decentralised basic healthcare services in Ulang since 2018. Its teams provided more than 10,000 outpatient consultations, admitted almost 3,300 inpatients, and assisted with 650 maternal deliveries in 2024.

The hospital is a critical facility for communities affected by violence, disease outbreaks and limited access to healthcare in the region. So, suspending services is a major blow—the loss of not only a functioning health facility but also support for several basic healthcare centres, halting treatment of patients with cholera and the more than 800 with HIV, tuberculosis and other chronic diseases. MSF continues to support health services in other parts of the state, including the towns of Renk and Malakal.

MSF urgently calls on all parties to the conflict to respect and protect health facilities, patients, civilians and medical staff in accordance with international humanitarian law. “MSF remains committed to providing impartial, lifesaving care wherever it is needed, but the safety of patients and health workers must be guaranteed,” says Mwatia.