The World Health Organization (WHO) reported on Tuesday that nearly 15 million Sudanese citizens are in urgent need of life-saving healthcare services.
The ongoing conflict, which erupted on April 15, 2023, between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has severely disrupted the country’s healthcare system.
The WHO noted that up to 80% of medical facilities in Sudan have been rendered non-functional due to the conflict, which has since spread to over half of the country’s states.
In a statement received by Sudan Tribune, the WHO estimated that nearly 15 million people require urgent and life-saving healthcare services in Sudan. The organization and its health partners aim to reach 4.9 million people, though only 26% of the necessary funding has been secured so far.
The conflict has inflicted severe damage on Sudan’s healthcare infrastructure, leaving millions without access to medical care and exacerbating the already fragile health conditions of many vulnerable individuals.
The WHO highlighted that recent months have seen compounded challenges, including restricted access to healthcare facilities, disrupted vaccination services, and worsening food insecurity, which collectively heighten the risk of infectious disease outbreaks in hard-to-reach areas like Darfur and Kordofan.
The organization expressed concern that the collapse of the healthcare system and obstacles to humanitarian efforts could lead to a surge in infectious disease cases, particularly with the onset of the rainy season in June.
