Since the outbreak of armed conflict in Sudan in April 2023, there have been more than 100 verified attacks on healthcare facilities, with 108 incidents confirmed by the World Health Organization (WHO) through mid-September.
WHO suspects the actual number is much higher, as escalating violence hampers efforts to verify reports.
Dr. Hanan Balkhy, WHO’s Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, expressed concern about the devastating human toll, emphasizing that each attack impacts entire communities. Among the incidents, 75 have involved health facilities, while 45 have directly targeted health personnel. Attacks on medical transport, supplies, and warehouses have further strained healthcare.
In conflict zones like Khartoum, Darfur, and South Kordofan, about 70-80% of health facilities are either barely operational or completely closed, severely affecting civilians amid extreme violence and displacement. The healthcare system, already fragile before the conflict, is struggling to meet the needs of millions facing war injuries, disease outbreaks, and chronic illnesses.
