Sudanese refugee doctors given opportunity to practice medicine in Chad
Sudanese refugee doctors given opportunity to practice medicine in Chad
Hassan Zakaria talks to his fellow Sudanese medical staff who are on duty at a hospital in Aboutengue refugee settlement in eastern Chad.
At the entrance to the female ward of the main hospital in Aboutengue refugee settlement in eastern Chad, Dr. Fatima Abdolgadir and her colleagues, Hassan Zakaria and Yacoub Idriss, are donning their white coats as they prepare to start their afternoon shifts.
They may look like ordinary medical staff on duty, but the stories of these three Sudanese refugees are extraordinary.
Two years ago, their lives were turned upside down when fighting that erupted in Khartoum reached their hometown of El-Geneina in West Darfur. The Teaching Hospital where all three worked was attacked and shut down. But instead of fleeing, they joined fellow healthcare workers to convert a house in their neighbourhood into a makeshift clinic where they treated injured civilians and other patients.
“We called every medical practitioner to come and offer the needed services,” said Hassan. “We opened an emergency unit to help those with minor injuries and those who need[ed] surgical intervention.”
As the fighting intensified, doctors and community volunteers put themselves at risk to help people. “We lost 19 medical personnel who were part of the emergency response unit,” said Hassan.
A daring move
After more than seven weeks trapped in El-Geneina town without enough food, water, and medicine, they decided to escape for their lives and joined other families desperately fleeing across the border to Chad.
“It was a very difficult decision,” said Fatima, who fled with her four children. “We left against our will … I have children, and I could not live in that situation.”
Before fleeing, Yacoub’s house was attacked by armed men who killed two of his brothers. During the attack, he wrapped his medical certificates in plastic and buried them in the ground for fear of them being used against him. It was a daring move to not only save his life but also his future.
“I was lucky to have escaped with my original certificates; most of my colleagues lost their documents,” he said.
Fatima Abdolgadir sits down at her desk inside the female ward of Aboutengue hospital in eastern Chad.
In the border town of Adre in eastern Chad, he reunited with his mother and two sisters and the family was later relocated to Aboutengue refugee settlement, where he met his former colleagues, Fatima and Hassan.
The Sudan conflict – now in its third year – has forced nearly 4 million people to flee to neighbouring countries, including Chad where more than 770,000 Sudanese refugees have sought safety. Among them are trained medics like Fatima, Yacoub and Hassan, who continue to use their skills to help their community in refugee settlements.
With support from the Mastercard Foundation, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is working with the Chadian authorities to authenticate the medical certificates of refugee doctors so they can practice in Chad. So far, 51 Sudanese refugee medical practitioners, including Yacoub and Fatima, have received their accreditation, while the process is underway for Hassan and 141 others.
“When I received my registration, I felt very happy,” said Yacoub. “I can now use all my experience to help people.”
Yacoub Idriss writes down information on a piece of paper while on duty at the main hospital in Aboutengue refugee settlement in eastern Chad.
A new partnership
Building on the success of such initiatives, the Mastercard Foundation and UNHCR announced a new $300 million partnership this week to support more than half a million refugees and displaced youth across Africa to complete their education and 200,000 young people to find dignified work.
“The stability and opportunities such support provides are exactly what displaced communities need to rebuild their lives and move forward amid all the challenges they face,” said UNHCR Deputy High Commissioner Kelly T. Clements at the announcement of the partnership during the Africa Forum on Displacement in Nairobi on Tuesday.
“Stories like Dr. Fatima’s remind us that talent, determination, and leadership exist in every corner of our world – even in the hardest circumstances,” said Reeta Roy, President and CEO of the Mastercard Foundation.
“When young refugees are empowered to learn, to lead, and to build livelihoods, they not only transform their own lives but also strengthen the communities around them.”
