MSF condemns abduction of Health Ministry staff in southern South Sudan

(© Frederic Seguin/MSF)

Juba – Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) strongly condemns the abduction of a Ministry of Health (MoH) staff member from an MSF ambulance in Morobo county, Central Equatoria State, South Sudan at around 10:00 am on 25 July. Although the staff member was released unharmed on 26 July, this incident further highlights the growing violence against healthcare workers in South Sudan.

The staff member was accompanying patients who had been referred for advanced medical care in Yei and were returning to Morobo after their discharge. During the journey, armed individuals intercepted the ambulance, forced the MoH staff member to leave the vehicle, and abducted her. The MSF driver, other staff, and patients were allowed to continue.

“What we are witnessing is a disturbing and unacceptable trend, where the impartial provision of healthcare services faces indiscriminate attacks,” says Dr Ferdinand Atte, MSF’s head of mission in South Sudan. “This incident is not just an attack on one individual; it is a direct assault on the healthcare system meant to serve the most vulnerable in our communities.”

Over the past few months, there has been a deeply concerning rise in attacks on healthcare in South Sudan. MSF has been forced to close two hospitals in South Sudan due to these attacks. In Yei and Morobo counties, the volatile security situation continues to present ongoing challenges for the delivery of medical and humanitarian services. 

In May, we made the difficult decision to reduce our outreach services in these counties due to increased insecurity. As a result, our teams provided only 3,427 consultations in May and June 2025 - half the number recorded during the same period in 2024. This sharp decline leaves already-isolated communities, who live far from health facilities, with even fewer lifesaving medical services.

Attacks on healthcare workers and facilities not only endanger the safety of health workers, but also disrupt critical access to medical care for vulnerable communities that depend on these services.

MSF has been working in South Sudan for over 40 years, responding to major crises including conflicts, floods, and disease outbreaks, and continues to deliver lifesaving care despite ongoing violence. But no medical worker should have to risk their lives to save others. This is already the fourth serious security incident affecting MSF in just seven months, putting both our staff and the patients who rely on us at risk.

“MSF continues to call on all parties involved in the ongoing conflict in South Sudan to fulfil their obligations to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, including healthcare workers, patients, and medical facilities and guarantee safe access to populations in need,” says Dr Ferdinand. “Healthcare workers must never be targeted.” 

Notes to editors 

Since the start of the year, MSF has witnessed a worrying increase in attacks targeting healthcare workers and facilities:

- In January, two clearly marked MSF boats travelling from Nasir to Ulang in Upper Nile state came under attack when unidentified gunmen opened fire, forcing the MSF staff aboard to jump into the river and swim to safety in a nearby village. One staff member sustained an injury while escaping the attack and had to receive medical treatment. 

- On 14 April 2025, MSF's hospital in Ulang was violently looted by armed men in broad daylight, destroying property and threatening patients and staff. This attack led to the full closure of all hospital and outreach activities. Ulang hospital was the only functioning hospital in the county, and these events have led to devastating consequences for the population, leaving more than 150,000 people without access to life-saving medical care. 

- On May 3, the MSF hospital in Old Fangak, Jonglei state, was bombed by two gunship helicopters, destroying the pharmacy and vital medical resources, rendering provision of medical care in the facility impossible. The helicopters also fired on the community, killing at least seven people and injuring 27. A total of four MSF staff were among the wounded.

In Yei and Morobo Counties, MSF offers primary healthcare services by supporting four Ministry of Health facilities, delivering outpatient consultations, routine vaccinations, and maternal and child healthcare. MSF also conducts mobile clinics and provides community-based healthcare through the Boma Health Initiative programme in the area.  Between January and June 2025, MSF conducted 14,500 outpatient consultations, 1,192 antenatal consultations and assisted in 438 maternal deliveries. 

Source: https://www.msf.org/south-sudan-msf-condemns-abduction-health-ministry-staff