How 15m needed urgent lifesaving healthcare services in Sudan

The World Health Organisation as leading Cluster agency has estimated that nearly 15 million people need urgent lifesaving health care services in Sudan, while its partners are aiming to reach 4.9 million people, requiring US$178 million to do so, but with only 26% funded as of 13 June, 2024.

WHO who disclosed this in its first situation report on Sudan crisis released on Tuesday, said since the start of the conflict in April 2023, ten million were displaced internally which is the largest number in the world and two million into neighbouring countries like Chad, South Sudan, Egypt, and the Central African Republic.

WHO stated that in addition to direct health effects of the conflict such as trauma, there has been extensive damage and disruption to the health system in Sudan, with millions people lacking access to healthcare, further exacerbating the already fragile health of many already vulnerable people. 

Given concerning trends in food insecurity and malnutrition, Sudan Famine Prevention Plan was launched in April 2024 targeting 7.6 million people for assistance, of whom 6.3 million are estimated to be facing emergency levels of food insecurity Integrated Food Security Phase Classification or IPC 4. 

“The Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) system-wide scale-up was extended to 30 June to be able to implement famine prevention and response measures,” the World Health Organisation report added.
It revealed that ongoing challenges with access to and capacity of health facilities, and interruptions in services such as immunization, as well as worsening food insecurity, have combined in recent months to further worsen the health and nutrition situation and increase the risk of outbreaks of infectious diseases.

“In many hard-to-reach areas of Sudan, such as in Darfur and Kordofan states, the actual burden of infectious disease outbreaks is difficult to characterize due to the paucity of surveillance data resulting from access constraints and communication breakdowns.

“These access and communication challenges also mean that the people currently in conflict-affected areas in Sudan have been cut off from any humanitarian assistance, including food and medical supplies. 
“The Adre crossing, the main route from Chad into Darfur, has been closed since February 2024. The arrival of refugees from Sudan into neighbouring countries has placed a major burden on the already overstretched health systems in these countries.

“They are struggling to cope with the increased need for trauma, gender-based violence, and psychosocial and mental health care. At the same time, there are several, simultaneous outbreaks infectious diseases affecting refugee camps, WHO reported.

WHO called for urgent action to contain unfolding humanitarian catastrophe, saying the impending arrival of rainy season in Sudan and its neighbouring countries will aggravate issues of healthcare access to the affected populations, as well as the ability of WHO and partners to provide humanitarian assistance.