After three years of conflict, Sudan is facing a deeper health crisis

Three years of war in Sudan have created the world’s largest humanitarian and displacement crisis, with devastating consequences for human health.

While the situation in some countries is improving, the health crisis is deepening in areas where fighting continues. Disease outbreaks and malnutrition are on the rise, while access to health services is shrinking and funding is lacking.

Almost 34 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance, including 21 million in need of health assistance. It is estimated that more than 4 million people will be acutely malnourished in 2026 (IPC warning, February 5, 2026) making them vulnerable to medical complications and diseases.

Disease outbreaks are widespread, with malaria, dengue fever, measles, polio (cVDPV2), hepatitis E, meningitis and diphtheria reported in several states, including Al Jazirah, Darfur, Gedaref, Khartoum, Kordofan, Nile River and White Nile states.

In 18 Sudanese states, 37% of health facilities are still not working. Health facilities, ambulances, patients and health workers have been repeatedly attacked, further reducing access to health care, especially in conflict-affected areas where hospitals are only partially operational or closed due to destruction of facilities and equipment. WHO has confirmed 217 attacks on health care as of April 15, 2023, with 2,052 deaths and 810 injuries.

“The war in Sudan is destroying lives and denying people their most basic rights, including health, water, food and security. The health system has been crippled, leaving millions without basic health care,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “Doctors and health workers can save lives, but they must have safe places to work and the medicines and supplies they need. Ultimately, the best medicine is peace.”

In the Greater Darfur and Kordofan regions, fighting has forced people from their homes and severely restricted the movement of humanitarian supplies. An example of this is the recent attack on the El Daein Teaching Hospital in East Darfur, which further exacerbated the crisis, resulting in at least 64 deaths, including children and health workers, and rendering the hospital non-functional. The hospital served as a critical referral hospital for hundreds of thousands of people across East Darfur.

“Three years of conflict have turned Sudan into the world’s biggest health crisis, where disease is spreading, malnutrition is on the rise and access to health care is rapidly declining,” said WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Dr Hanan Balkhy. “With millions lacking basic medical care, facing hunger and risk of disease, Sudan’s health crisis continues to deepen, underscoring the urgent need for humanitarian support and long-term solutions. We remain committed to the people of Sudan.”

With services suspended, patients in urgent need of care are forced to undertake long and dangerous journeys to reach the nearest functioning health facility. Repeated attacks on health care in Kordofans have also destroyed health facilities and had similar human casualties, with injuries and deaths of patients, including children.

“WHO has been on the ground since the beginning of the conflict, with supplies, disease surveillance, training and coordination,” said Dr. Shible Sahbani, WHO representative in Sudan. “As access to some areas opens, we are stepping up efforts to support early recovery and rehabilitation of the health system alongside the humanitarian response.”

WHO supports the supply chain for essential medicines, medical supplies and equipment, strengthens the health workforce and has helped restore key public health services, including state and national reference laboratories. Since April 2023, WHO has delivered more than 3,300 metric tons of medicines and medical supplies, including supplies for cholera, malaria, nutrition and injury care.

WHO-supported services have helped provide basic health care to more than 4.1 million people through primary health care centres, mobile clinics and hospitals. WHO also supported the treatment of more than 118,000 children with complicated severe acute malnutrition and vaccination campaigns, which covered more than 46 million children and adults with vaccines against cholera, polio, diphtheria, measles and rubella. Malaria vaccines were also introduced; Sudan is the first country in the region to include malaria vaccines in the routine vaccination program.

WHO worked closely with federal and state ministries of health and partners to contain the two cholera outbreaks. The most recent was declared complete in March 2026, after a sustained response lasting more than a year, including oral cholera vaccination campaigns that reached 24.5 million people.

WHO thanks donors and development partners for their financial support, whose generosity ensured the procurement of medical supplies, equipment, operational support and technical assistance.

WHO reiterates its commitment to the health of all, everywhere in Sudan. To ensure this, WHO calls for unrestricted and safe access to all areas of Sudan, to protect healthcare and sustain humanitarian and long-term funding.

Sudan has long needed peace. Health cannot be achieved without peace.