Another Sudanese official resigns after dispute over wounded Yemenis

October 5, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – The director of the Immunization Department at Sudan’s Ministry of Health has resigned in protest against a request by the state minister of health to withdraw money from his department to cover the cost of treatment of wounded Yemenis.

A reliable source told Sudan Tribune Monday that the state minister of health, Sumaya Idriss, asked the director of the immunization department to offer one million Sudanese pounds to cover the medical treatment of the injured Yemenis, pointing the latter refused to pay the money saying that 80% of his department budget comes from foreign donors through the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

According to the source, the director of immunization department told the minister that her request is inconsistent with the bases and principles of the partnership between the ministry of health and the United Nations, adding that disbursement of immunization money is monitored by the donors.

The same source pointed out that the director of immunization department was forced to resign from his position following pressures and insistence of the minister to take the money.

Last September, the director of Emergency Management & Humanitarian Work Ahmed Mohamed Zakaria tendered his resignation and withdrew from a committee tasked with receiving wounded Yemenis after verbal altercations between state minister and staff at southern Khartoum Hospital following the arrival of a second plane carrying Yemenis injured in the ongoing conflict.

(ST)