South Sudan: No health facility left in Ulang after armed looting

“We are outraged by the attack on our hospital and the threats against our medical staff in Ulang,” said 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. Such attacks on hospitals and health care workers are completely unacceptable. We are 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.”

Fear is driving patients away from care

As violence drew closer to Ulang on the night of April 13, patients began fleeing the hospital in fear—despite needing medical care. At the time, the hospital had more than 100 patients receiving critical treatment, including trauma care, maternity services, and pediatric care. While some patients remained in the facility as long as they could, they were ultimately forced to flee when armed men entered the facility and began looting it room by room.

No MSF staff have been reported injured. However we remain extremely concerned for the safety of our teams and patients.

“The safety of our staff and patients is our foremost priority,” Mwatia added. “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, and it has directly affected our ability to provide care at a time when it is most urgently needed.”

Deteriorating security affects health care access

The attack on the MSF hospital in Ulang is part of a broader pattern of insecurity affecting health care in the area. In January 2025, two clearly marked MSF boats carrying six staff were attacked by armed men while returning to Ulang after delivering medical supplies to Nasir County Hospital. That incident forced MSF to suspend all outreach activities in the region.

In Ulang, MSF has been operating a secondary health care hospital alongside a network of decentralized primary health care services since 2018. In 2024 alone, MSF teams provided over 10,000 outpatient consultations, admitted 3,284 patients for inpatient care, and assisted with 650 maternal deliveries. Over the years, the 60-bed hospital has served as a critical facility for communities affected by violence, disease outbreaks, and limited access to health care.

Cholera outbreak heightens urgent needs

The suspension of services at the hospital is a major blow to health care access in the area, which has been left without a single functioning health facility. This disruption also resulted in the suspension of critical support that MSF has been providing to several primary health care centers across the region, halting vital efforts to treat cholera patients and control an ongoing outbreak. Further, more than 800 patients living with HIV, tuberculosis (TB), and other chronic diseases have lost access to their treatment, putting their lives at significant risk.

MSF continues to support health services in other parts of Upper Nile state, including Renk and Malakal counties. We urgently call 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.