(MOROBO) – A Ministry of Health (MoH) staff member was abducted by armed individuals from a Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) ambulance in South Sudan’s Morobo County, Central Equatoria State, on 25 July 2025.
The incident occurred at approximately 10:00 am during the return journey from Yei, where patients had received advanced medical treatment.
According to MSF, the armed men intercepted the vehicle, forced the health worker to exit, and took her away. The driver, other staff, and patients were not harmed and were allowed to continue. The abducted staff member was later released unharmed on 26 July.
MSF has strongly condemned the incident, calling it part of a disturbing trend of violence targeting healthcare workers in South Sudan.
Dr Ferdinand Atte, MSF’s head of mission in South Sudan, stated, “What we are witnessing is a disturbing and unacceptable trend, where the impartial provision of healthcare services faces indiscriminate attacks. 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 recent months, MSF has reported a growing number of attacks on health workers and facilities in the country. Insecurity in Central Equatoria, particularly in Yei and Morobo counties, has forced MSF to scale down its operations significantly. In May 2025, MSF made the decision to reduce outreach services due to the deteriorating security conditions.
As a result of this reduction, the organisation conducted only 3,427 medical consultations across the region in May and June 2025. This is roughly half of what was provided during the same two month period in 2024. Many of the affected communities live in remote areas, far from functioning health centres, making this decline in service a serious public health concern.
| Period | Consultations Provided |
|---|---|
| May–June 2024 | Approx. 6,800 |
| May–June 2025 | 3,427 |
MSF has warned that these continued attacks place both health workers and patients in danger, while simultaneously crippling the already fragile healthcare delivery system.
The organisation has operated in South Sudan for more than four decades and continues to provide emergency medical assistance across the country, including in conflict zones, areas affected by flooding and regions battling disease outbreaks.
However, MSF has now recorded four major security incidents involving its staff in just seven months. The frequency and severity of these events have raised concerns about the safety of humanitarian workers and the sustainability of healthcare services in volatile regions.
“This cannot continue,” said Dr Atte. “No medical worker should have to risk their life to save others.”
MSF has again appealed to all parties involved in South Sudan’s ongoing conflict to respect and protect civilians and civilian infrastructure. The organisation emphasised the importance of guaranteeing the safety of healthcare workers, patients, and medical facilities and ensuring unrestricted humanitarian access.
Healthcare workers, MSF insists, must never be targeted, regardless of the surrounding political or military context. The organisation says failure to do so will only deepen the country’s ongoing humanitarian crisis and leave vulnerable populations without access to essential health services.
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