Photo: CTU in Ulang Caption: Cholera Treatment Unit tent as part of a cholera response in Ulang. Amidst conflict in Upper Nile, MSF is running a cholera response in Ulang county as numbers keep increasing. (Copyright: MSF Country: South Sudan Date taken: 11/03/2025).

ULANG, UPPER NILE STATE, (Eye Radio) – Gunmen looted Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) hospital and premises in Ulang County in Upper Nile State on Monday morning, leading to its temporary closure, according to the medical charity.

The international medical aid group known in English as Doctors Without Borders said dozens of armed men stormed its hospital and office in Ulang town, threatened staff, and looted vital medical supplies and equipment.

As a result, all medical services at the hospital—the only functioning health facility in the area—have been suspended.

“We are outraged by the attack on our hospital and the threats against our medical staff in Ulang,” Zakariya Mwatia, MSF Head of Mission in South Sudan, said.

“This facility has been a lifeline for the community at a time of escalating violence and an active cholera outbreak. Such attacks on hospitals and healthcare workers are completely unacceptable,” he added.

MSF said on the night of 13 April, as violence drew closer to Ulang town, patients began fleeing the hospital in fear, despite being under medical care.

“At the time, more than 100 patients were admitted and receiving critical treatment, including trauma care, maternity services, and paediatric care. While some patients remained as long as they could, they were ultimately forced to flee when armed men entered the facility and began looting room by room,” said MSF

The medical charity said it is gravely concerned about the devastating impact the closure of medical services will have on already vulnerable communities, who now face even greater barriers to accessing lifesaving care.”

Although no injuries to MSF staff have been reported, the medical organization said it remains extremely concerned for the safety of its teams and patients.

“This unacceptable act of violence shows a complete disregard for humanitarian principles and international humanitarian law, and it has directly affected our ability to provide care at a time when it is most urgently needed,” Mwatia added.

In Ulang, MSF has been operating a secondary healthcare hospital alongside a network of decentralized primary healthcare services since 2018.

It went without saying that the suspension of services at the hospital represents a major blow to healthcare provision in the area, which is now left without a single functioning health facility.

“This disruption also results in the suspension of critical support by MSF to several primary healthcare centres (PHCCs) across the region, halting vital efforts to treat cholera patients and control the ongoing outbreak.

“Furthermore, more than 800 patients living with HIV, TB, and other chronic diseases have lost access to their treatment, putting their lives at significant risk.”

MSF has urgently called 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,” Mwatia emphasized.