Sudan’s Health System on the Brink: WHO Warns of Escalating Disease, Malnutrition Amid War

After three years of relentless conflict, Sudan is now facing what global health authorities describe as the world's largest and fastest-deepening health crisis, with millions cut off from essential care, rising disease outbreaks, and a collapsing healthcare system threatening an entire generation.

New data from the World Health Organization (WHO) paints a stark picture of a country where war is not only claiming lives directly, but also fuelling a secondary crisis of disease, hunger, and medical system failure on an unprecedented scale.

A Nation in Crisis: 34 Million in Need of Aid

Nearly 34 million people—over two-thirds of Sudan's population—now require humanitarian assistance, including 21 million urgently in need of healthcare support. At the same time, more than 4 million people are suffering from acute malnutrition, leaving them highly vulnerable to disease and death.

"Three years in conflict have turned Sudan into the world's largest ongoing health crisis," said WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, Dr Hanan Balkhy.

The convergence of malnutrition, displacement, and limited healthcare access is creating conditions ripe for large-scale public health emergencies.

Disease Outbreaks Surge Across Multiple Regions

Sudan is experiencing simultaneous outbreaks of multiple infectious diseases, including malaria, dengue, measles, polio (cVDPV2), hepatitis E, meningitis, and diphtheria. These outbreaks have been reported across several states, including Darfur, Khartoum, Kordofan, and White Nile.

Health experts warn that weakened surveillance systems, disrupted vaccination campaigns, and mass displacement are accelerating the spread of these diseases, particularly among children and vulnerable populations.

Health System Collapse: Over One-Third of Facilities Non-Functional

The country's healthcare infrastructure has been devastated. Across Sudan's 18 states, 37% of health facilities are now completely non-functional, while many others operate only partially due to damage, shortages, or insecurity.

Hospitals, ambulances, and medical personnel have become direct targets of violence. Since April 2023, WHO has verified 217 attacks on healthcare facilities, resulting in over 2,000 deaths and more than 800 injuries.

"The health system has been crippled, leaving millions without essential care," said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. "Doctors can save lives—but only if they have safe places to work and the supplies they need."

Darfur and Kordofan: Epicentres of the Health Emergency

The situation is particularly severe in the conflict-ravaged regions of Darfur and Kordofan, where ongoing fighting has displaced communities and severely restricted humanitarian access.

A recent attack on El Daein Teaching Hospital in East Darfur—once a critical referral centre for hundreds of thousands—killed at least 64 people and rendered the facility inoperable, further shrinking already limited healthcare access.

Patients in urgent need of care are now forced to travel long distances under dangerous conditions to reach functioning facilities, often with life-threatening delays.

WHO Response: Scaling Up Amid Constraints

Despite immense operational challenges, WHO has maintained a significant presence in Sudan since the conflict began, delivering life-saving support and working to stabilise the health system.

Key interventions include:

• Delivery of over 3,300 metric tons of medicines and medical supplies

• Provision of essential healthcare services to more than 4.1 million people

• Treatment of over 118,000 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition

• Vaccination campaigns reaching more than 46 million people against cholera, polio, measles, and other diseases

In a notable innovation, Sudan became the first country in the region to integrate malaria vaccines into its routine immunisation programme—a critical step in combating one of the country's most widespread diseases.

WHO has also supported national efforts to contain major cholera outbreaks, including a recent response that reached 24.5 million people through vaccination campaigns and was officially declared over in March 2026.

Funding Gaps Threaten Response Efforts

Despite these efforts, the response is being undermined by severe funding shortages. Humanitarian agencies warn that without sustained financial support, essential services—including disease surveillance, treatment programmes, and supply chains—could be further disrupted.

WHO has called on the international community to urgently increase funding, ensure safe and unrestricted access for humanitarian operations, and prioritise the protection of healthcare facilities and personnel.

The Ultimate Solution: Peace

While emergency interventions remain critical, WHO officials stress that the root cause of Sudan's health crisis is the ongoing conflict itself.

"The best medicine is peace," Dr Tedros said, underscoring that without a political resolution, humanitarian efforts alone will not be enough to reverse the crisis.

A Critical Moment for Global Action

As Sudan's war enters its fourth year, the country stands at a tipping point. The collapse of its health system, combined with widespread hunger and disease, threatens to create long-term consequences not only for Sudan but for regional stability.

The international community now faces an urgent choice: scale up support and push for peace—or risk allowing one of the world's most severe humanitarian crises to deepen further.