Sudan and South Sudan have been facing multiple and severe difficulties over the past decades, with people suffering from the devastating impact of armed conflict and harsh environmental conditions such as severe flooding and drought, including the Horn of Africa drought. These crises have led to death, disease and displacement for millions. WHO is working hard with governments and donors to protect and support the health and well-being of extremely vulnerable populations.
Sudan
Lifesaving treatment for malnourished children
After conflict erupted in Sudan in April 2023, WHO covered operating costs for 42 stabilization centres, providing a lifeline to children who are severely malnourished and suffering from medical complications. In 2024, WHO is supporting 114 state- and partner-run stabilization centres with provision of medical supplies and technical support. WHO also covers the operating cost of 23 centres, including incentives for cadres, food for caregivers and hygiene supplies. WHO has trained 1942 nutrition cadres (82% female) and distributed over 2300 severe acute malnutrition kits to help treat more than 28 000 children whose health is compromised due to severe acute malnutrition.
WHO is able to support the life-saving operations of stabilization centres since the start of the war thanks to donations from the Italian Development Cooperation, the Government of Japan, and the United States Agency for International Development’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance.
Learn more about the WHO providing a lifeline for Sudan's malnourished children
Emergency medical supplies reach those in need across borders
In response to critical needs, WHO in South Sudan and Sudan collaborated to provide emergency medical supplies to those affected by the ongoing crisis in the Blue Nile and Nuba Mountains regions of Sudan. WHO South Sudan provided emergency health supplies from existing stockpiles in areas adjacent to the Sudan-South Sudan border.
This included supplies and equipment for cholera investigation and treatment, for the management of measles, non-communicable diseases, and medical complications associated with severe acute malnutrition in children under 5, and for trauma management and emergency surgery.
These supplies are expected to serve approximately 830 000 people in the conflict-affected Blue Nile and Nuba Mountains areas between May and July 2024. The shipment, worth US$ 671 414, is the second shipment that WHO South Sudan has been able to deliver to Sudan since the outbreak of the conflict in April 2023. The first shipment delivered 51 health emergency supplies (2.7 metric tons) to serve an estimated 30 000 people, worth US$ 26 733.
Protecting communities from waterborne diseases
Since 2020 heavy rainfall and rising water levels along the White Nile have led to massive flooding in Sudan. To protect communities from diseases caused by water and environmental contamination, the Ministry of Health, supported by WHO and other partners, embarked on an ambitious mission. With funding from the United States Agency for International Development, EU Humanitarian Aid, and Resolve to Save Lives, efforts have begun to upscale infection prevention and control (IPC) and water, sanitation, and hygiene measures (WASH) in healthcare facilities to minimize the risk of infection transmission and water-borne related outbreaks.
Findings from tests showed that 60% of water points across the country were contaminated and WHO responded quickly with interventions nationwide to address this. WHO intensified its support to the Ministry of Health, focusing on water quality testing, hand hygiene promotion, healthcare waste management, and implementation of guidelines. WHO trained over 648 healthcare workers from 2023 to March 2024 in IPC and WASH measures and supported deployment of laboratory experts and public health officers nationwide to strengthen water quality surveillance and sanitary inspection.
Medical equipment improves quality of care and safety
In a significant boost to Sudan’s health infrastructure, WHO Sudan donated a new batch of medical equipment, including state-of-the-art zero-emission incinerators, to the Federal Ministry of Health on 1 May 2024. This was made possible thanks to financial support from the European Union amounting to US$ 3 million.
The incinerators will play a pivotal role in protecting health workers, patients and patient families from hospital-acquired infections, as well as protecting the environment from biohazardous waste. This will enhance the quality of care provided and support infection prevention and control in health facilities in six states: Blue Nile, East Darfur, Northern, Red Sea, River Nile and South Kordofan.
This initiative marks a crucial step in rebuilding Sudan’s health system and addressing critical needs in hospital settings. It is a continuation of EU support to the WHO health emergency response in Sudan. In 2023, EU support enabled WHO to deliver critical life-saving devices and equipment for use in intensive care units and provided critical equipment and supplies to the Public Health Laboratory in Port Sudan. This played a critical role in confirming and monitoring outbreaks of measles and cholera, and the emergence of poliovirus.
Patients with kidney failure to get lifesaving treatment
In May 2024, the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief) provided financial support to WHO of US$ 19.4 million to jointly address health challenges and emergency responses in Sudan, Syria and Yemen. The funding aims to make health services available to vulnerable communities around the world suffering from conflict, disease outbreaks and weakened health services.
In Sudan, US$ 5 million will ensure the provision of life-saving dialysis treatment for individuals living with kidney failure in 77 renal dialysis centres across the country.
The project includes the procurement of 100 dialysis machines and supports dialysis centres that provide essential services to kidney patients.
Communities take part in rebuilding health services
In the war-torn Darfur region of Sudan, communities are taking an active role in rebuilding their health services and advancing universal health coverage. Through regular community dialogues, they are empowered to identify, prioritize and propose solutions for their health needs, to hold local health authorities accountable, and to act as an early warning system in times of crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
Working in close collaboration with the Ministry of Health and local health authorities, WHO has established a process to actively involve people in decision-making. Through regular participatory meetings between communities and local health authorities, people are now able to identify their health needs and priorities and support concrete steps to rebuild and improve services.
Community dialogues empower disadvantaged populations to decide on their health priorities
WHO supports Sudan through the UHC Partnership, which is funded by the European Union (EU), the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, Irish Aid, the Government of Japan, the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, the United Kingdom – Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and Belgium.
South Sudan
Malaria vaccine delivered to save children’s lives
Malaria is the biggest killer of children in South Sudan. The country grapples with one of the highest malaria incidence rates in the region, and in 2022, South Sudan had an estimated 2.8 million cases and 6680 deaths.
In May 2024, the country’s first consignment of the R21 malaria vaccine arrived in Juba, the capital of South Sudan. The Ministry of Health received over 645 000 doses, which will be distributed to health facilities across 28 counties with the highest malaria burden. Plans are being made to continue to the effort nationwide.
The Ministry of Health, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, UNICEF, WHO, and other health partners collaborated to integrate these life-saving vaccines into the national immunization programme.
Emergency supplies reach people in flood-prone areas
In South Sudan, recurrent severe flooding displaces thousands, increases the risk of waterborne and vector-borne diseases, and damage critical infrastructure, including crops, homes, healthcare facilities, and transportation routes.
The National Ministry of Health, supported by WHO and other partners, has launched a comprehensive response including deploying rapid response teams across affected areas and establishing a disease surveillance system. Since 2019, over 43 000 alerts were reported, of which over 30 000 were verified and quickly investigated.
Funded by the European Union Humanitarian Aid, South Sudan Humanitarian Fund, United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund, and United States Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance, WHO has distributed over 3366 emergency health kits in the last five years, benefiting 1.5 million individuals affected by floods. In preparation for future flooding, WHO has provided 609 Emergency Health kits in flood-prone areas, aiming to benefit 287 000 people.
“In Jonglei flood-prone counties, flood preparedness and response plans have safeguarded the health of the communities and made them more resilient to other natural disasters," said Mr Chot Kueth Kulang, Director General of the State Ministry of Health in Jonglei State.
The work in Sudan and South Sudan is supported with funding from a range of donors including the European Union, European Union Humanitarian Aid, French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Government of Belgium, Government of Japan, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, Irish Aid, Italian Development Cooperation, King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre, Resolve to Save Lives, South Sudan Emergency Fund, United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund, and United States Agency for International Development.
Go to the WHO Sudan emergency webpage and the WHO Sudan Country Office page to read more about the humanitarian crisis in the country.
2024 WHO health emergency appeal for Sudan and neighbouring countries
List of the donors and partners supporting WHO’s work in Sudan
Visit the WHO Country Office in South Sudan webpage to see more video materials about the donor support for WHO’s work in the country.