Sudan: Humanitarian Bulletin | Issue 46 | 7 – 13 November 2016 [EN/AR]

Highlights

• WHO reports that 11 clinics have closed and 49 are at risk of closure in Darfur, South Kordofan and Blue Nile due to funding shortages.

• About 769,000 people (IDPs and host communities) are affected by these funding shortages. US$7 million needed to keep these facilities running for one year.

• Over 4 million children aged 6-59 months were screened for nutritional status in AugustSeptember across Sudan.

• According to FEWS NET, 27,500 Sudanese refugees have returned from Yida in South Sudan to South Kordofan.

Figures 2016 HRP

• Displaced people in Sudan (as of Dec 2015): Up to 3.2 million

• Displaced people in Darfur (as of Dec 2015): Up to 2.6 million

• GAM caseload: 2.1 million

• South Sudanese refugee arrivals in Sudan - since 15 Dec 2013 (registered by UNHCR) - as of 14 Nov 2016: 263,245

• Refugees of other nationalities (registered by UNHCR) - as of 31 Oct 2016: 140,626

Funding

• 427 million US$ received in 2016

• 43.5% reported funding

11 health units closed in Darfur, Blue Nile and South Kordofan due to funding shortages, 49 more at risk

A lack of funding is forcing humanitarian organisations to either hand over or close down their health facilities in some parts of Sudan. The latest Sudan Health Sector Quarterly bulletin reports that the World Health Organization (WHO) assessed 60 health facilities in North, South and West Darfur, Blue Nile and South Kordofan states. WHO found that 11 clinics have already closed and 49 are at risk of closure. The bulletin said that 769,000 people—including IDPs and host communities— in these states may face significant difficulties in accessing primary health care services as a result of funding shortages, and US$7 million is needed to keep these facilities running for one year.

According to the report, consequences of funding shortages include people not being able to access health services or buy medicine; no access to immunisation services; less assistance in the control of communicable diseases and outbreaks; and lack of referrals of complicated cases to other facilities. All these factors could increase morbidity and mortality and the risk of epidemics in these states.

In one of the most recent cases related to the issue, the national NGO Humanitarian Aid and Development (HAD) has announced that it will be unable to continue providing services in four clinics in Darfur, due to funding constraints, beyond the end of November.
Of the four clinics, three are in Zamzam internally displaced persons (IDP) camp and one is in Al Salam IDP camp in North Darfur. It is estimated that 15,000 IDPs will be affected due to the closure of these four facilities. Other organisations, such as the international NGO Relief International, will continue providing health services in Zamzam IDP camp.