Sudan: British doctor shot in the leg is treated at home to avoid dangerous hospital

A British doctor is trapped in a house in Khartoum, Sudan as it is too dangerous to seek help at the hospital despite suffering a gunshot wound to the leg.

In an exclusive report by The Independent today, April 25, it was revealed that a retired British doctor was visiting relatives in Khartoum when the violence erupted on 15 April, where he received a gunshot wound to the leg.

The recently retired doctor had worked for the NHS for over 30 years and was in the process of moving his mother and daughter, who live close to the airport, to a safer place.

His elderly mother requires constant care and had been without water and electricity for five days. Last Thursday the doctor drove through Khartoum, as bodies littered the streets.

The man’s other daughter is also a London-based doctor, who refers to herself as Dr A to protect her family in Sudan said, ‘They started shooting at the car first. My father kept going, but then he stopped because the shooting was coming from all directions.

‘When he got out he started to feel faint. He felt an intense heat on his leg, but because of his intense fear and adrenaline, he didn’t pay attention.’

The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) thought her father belonged to the rival Sudanese army. He managed to convince them he was just a medic trying to rescue his family and eventually made it to his brother’s house.

Dr A continued, ‘He was shot in the thigh, so the wound is quite superficial. But the actual car has gunshots where the headrests and backrests are. If my dad had been in the wrong place at the wrong time, or even a slightly different position, then he would be dead.”

It is currently far too dangerous to leave the house and go to a pharmacy or hospital, so Dr A’s father has no option but to stay put and utilise some leftover antibiotics.

Her biggest concern is her family’s dwindling supply of food and medicines, and intermittent running water and internet connection.

Dr A, added, ‘Everything is chaos. The situation in the country is very desperate.’ Medical supplies and food are now running short with poor water supplies and unreliable electricity and internet connections.

It is believed that up to 4,000 UK citizens are still stranded in Sudan in a situation that is descending into anarchy.

Meanwhile, other reports indicate that Warships RFA Cardigan Bay and HMS Lancaster are being readied for an evacuation from Port Sudan,

It has been confirmed that 400 people have been killed with many thousands injured, but it is feared that the real figure is much higher.

A spokesperson for the UK government issued a statement, ‘The safety of all British nationals in Sudan continues to be our utmost priority. We recognise that this is an extremely worrying and distressing situation for those trapped by the fighting.

‘We are urgently exploring all routes for British nationals to leave Sudan should they wish to.

‘Our advice to British nationals continues to be to stay indoors wherever possible and contact the Foreign Office to register your local and contact details.’