Sudan Marks 1,000 Days of War as Health System Collapses and Humanitarian Crisis Deepens.
Geneva/Cairo/Port Sudan:
As the conflict in Sudan enters its 1,000th day, the country is facing what humanitarian agencies describe as the world’s worst health and humanitarian crisis, with tens of millions of people in urgent need of assistance.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 20 million people currently require health assistance, while 21 million are suffering from acute food insecurity. Nearly three years of relentless violence, combined with severe access constraints and dwindling funding, have pushed Sudan to the brink, with an estimated 33.7 million people expected to need humanitarian aid in 2026.
The prolonged conflict has devastated Sudan’s health system. Ongoing fighting, repeated attacks on health facilities, mass displacement, shortages of medical supplies, and a lack of health workers and funding have left more than one-third of the country’s health facilities — about 37 per cent — non-functional. As a result, millions of people are deprived of essential and lifesaving health services.
Since the conflict began in April 2023, WHO has verified 201 attacks on health care facilities and personnel, leading to 1,858 deaths and 490 injuries. These attacks, which constitute violations of international humanitarian law, have severely undermined access to lifesaving care and placed health workers, patients, and caregivers at extreme risk.
“One thousand days of conflict in Sudan have driven the health system to the brink of collapse,” said Dr Shible Sahbani, WHO Representative in Sudan. “Under the strain of disease, hunger and a lack of access to basic services, people face a devastating situation.”
Displacement levels have reached unprecedented proportions. An estimated 13.6 million people have been forced from their homes, making Sudan the largest displacement crisis in the world. Poor living conditions, overcrowded displacement sites, and the breakdown of water, sanitation, hygiene, and routine immunization services have fueled the spread of disease, further compounding the crisis.
WHO is currently supporting responses to multiple disease outbreaks, including cholera, dengue, malaria, and measles. Cholera has been reported in all 18 states, dengue in 14 states, and malaria in 16 states. Meanwhile, access to preventive and curative health care — including treatment for chronic illnesses and severe malnutrition — remains severely limited.
Despite immense challenges, WHO and its partners continue to work with Sudan’s Federal and State Ministries of Health to restore critical health services and rehabilitate the health system. Since April 2023, WHO has delivered 3,378 metric tons of medicines and medical supplies worth approximately US$40 million to 48 health partners. These supplies include treatments for malnutrition, cholera, malaria, dengue, emergency surgical care, and diagnostic services.
About 24 million people have received cholera vaccinations, and WHO has supported Sudan in introducing and scaling up malaria vaccines. In addition, more than 3.3 million people have accessed care at WHO-supported hospitals, primary health care facilities, and mobile clinics. Over 112,400 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition with medical complications have received treatment at functional stabilization centres supplied by WHO. Public health laboratories at state and national levels have also been strengthened to improve outbreak detection and rapid response.
“Despite the challenges, we are saving lives and rebuilding the health system,” Dr Sahbani said. “However, as the relentless conflict renders some areas inaccessible, particularly in Darfur and Kordofan, health needs continue to rise.”
WHO has called for safe and unimpeded humanitarian access to all parts of Sudan, along with increased financial support to prevent the crisis from worsening further. Ultimately, the organization urged all parties to the conflict to work urgently towards a ceasefire and lasting peace for the people of Sudan.
