For Albert*, an MSF nurse in Lankien, the destruction of MSF’s hospital on the night of 3 February 2026 was not only the loss of his workplace. It was the loss of his home and the sudden separation from his family.
Large parts of the MSF hospital in Lankien were damaged during the bombardment and later burned down, including warehouses, fuel stores, and critical support structures. Medicines, vaccines and blood supplies were destroyed or looted. As the violence intensified in the days that followed, health workers fled alongside Lankien residents.
On the Tuesday of the airstrike, Albert had already followed instructions to evacuate amid rising tensions and warnings of a possible attack on the town. As the bombardment intensified, his house was burned and his belongings looted. He fled into the forest carrying only a small bag containing fortified peanut paste, biscuits, and his documents.
He walked for five days through remote areas, avoiding armed men, before reaching safety. “I ate the peanut paste and biscuits on the way. It was the only survival meal I had.”
Albert is now temporarily staying with a friend in Juba.
“I find myself a little bit okay, although emotionally I am totally distressed, because I do not know where my kids are.”
Albert’s experience reflects that of many health workers who were forced to flee, lost their homes, and remain uncertain about the safety of their loved ones. Beyond the destruction of medical infrastructure, the violence has deeply affected the very people who were providing care.
Despite his own trauma, Albert continues to think about his patients.
“My top priority is to pray hard for that vulnerable population. Wounded children will be sent away from Lankien [without receiving care] because of the crisis.”
“There is always a way out. In every situation, there is a way out.”
Albert is among many MSF colleagues who have been confirmed to have reached safety. However, out of 291 locally recruited staff working in Lankien and Pieri, MSF has lost contact with 27 others and remains extremely concerned about their well-being.
Since the beginning of 2025, MSF has documented a sharp increase in attacks on healthcare facilities in South Sudan. By February 2026, MSF had recorded 10 targeted attacks on our hospitals or staff. Such attacks violate international humanitarian law, endanger medical workers, and deprive communities of essential and life-saving care.
MSF has worked in the area now known as South Sudan since 1983, and continues to provide medical assistance across multiple states and administrative areas of the country.
*Name changed to protect anonymity
