Wounded Doctor pleading with UK government on Sudan Crisis
The ongoing conflict in Sudan has left a British doctor and his family in a dire situation as they desperately seek assistance to leave the country. Abdulrahman, a retired NHS consultant gynaecologist, was visiting his family in Sudan for the Muslim festival of Eid when he was shot in a case of mistaken identity. While on his way to take his mother and daughter to a safer location, Abdulrahman’s vehicle came under fire from militiamen belonging to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), who are currently locked in battle with members of Sudan’s regular army. Abdulrahman believes that he was mistaken for a government official.
Abdulrahman’s injuries are severe, and he is using pillowcases to apply pressure to his wounds and leftover antibiotics found in the house. He told the BBC that he is in a lot of pain and is worried that his wounds could become infected. The retired doctor is currently stable but is living in fear amidst the ongoing conflict.
The UK authorities began airlifting British nationals out of Sudan on Tuesday after a 72-hour ceasefire was agreed upon by both sides of the conflict. However, Abdulrahman cannot bring himself to leave his frail 86-year-old mother behind, who does not have a visa to enter the UK. His 25-year-old daughter, who is a trainee doctor, is helping to care for both him and her grandmother.
Abdulrahman has requested a temporary visa for his mother so that they can leave the country together once he recovers. However, the Foreign Office travel advice currently only permits the evacuation of British passport holders and immediate family members with valid UK visas or entry clearance. Abdulrahman’s 35-year-old daughter, who is also a doctor based in London, has made a plea to the UK government to show compassion and facilitate her father and grandmother’s safe passage to the UK temporarily.
Abdulrahman’s daughter emphasized her father’s 30-year tenure with the NHS and the family’s urgent need to leave the country amidst the ongoing conflict. The family fears that if they do not leave soon, they may miss the opportunity to evacuate as the ceasefire ends tomorrow. Despite his dire situation, Abdulrahman remains composed and level-headed, citing his 40 years of experience as a doctor and emphasizing the need to remain calm during emergencies.
