WHO warns of 'high risk of biological hazard' after Sudan fighters occupy lab
Sudan WHO
The World Health Organization on Tuesday warned of a "huge biological risk" after fighters in conflict-ravaged Sudan occupied a central public laboratory.
As per an AFP report, the laboratory was holding samples of diseases including polio and measles, and it being seized created an "extremely, extremely dangerous" situation.
Talking to reporters in Geneva via video link, Nima Saeed Abid, the WHO's representative in Sudan, said "There is a huge biological risk associated with the occupation of the central public health lab... by one of the fighting parties."
As per Abid, fighters "kicked out all the technicians from the lab... which is completely under the control of one of the fighting parties as a military base." However, he did not mention which side has seized the bio lab.
Abid reportedly received a call from the head of the national laboratory in Khartoum on Monday, a day before the US-brokered 72-hour ceasefire between Sudan's warring generals officially came into effect.
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Pointing out that the lab held so-called isolates, or samples, of a range of deadly diseases, including measles, polio and cholera, he said: "There is a huge biological risk associated with the occupation of the central public health lab."
The lab director also warned Abid that "depleting stocks of blood bags risk spoiling due to lack of power."
"In addition to chemical hazards, bio-risk hazards are also very high due to lack of functioning generators," said the WHO Sudan representative.
Since it began 10 days ago, as per the UN health agency, there have been confirmed 14 attacks on healthcare, in which eight people have been killed and two were injured.
(With inputs from agencies)
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