SUDAN — The Sudanese health system has reached a critical juncture after enduring nearly half a year of conflict.
Within densely populated camps, the prevalence of infectious diseases is increasing, and there is a concerning escalation in child fatalities.
The toll is profound, with reports of up to 9,000 deaths, 5.6 million people displaced from their homes, and 25 million individuals left in dire need of assistance, as stated by Martin Griffiths, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator.
For half a year, Sudan’s civilian population, particularly in regions like Khartoum, Darfur, and Kordofan, has endured relentless waves of violence and fear.
A recent report from the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) underscores the stark reality. Between mid-May and mid-September, more than 1,200 children under the age of 5 succumbed to a measles outbreak, exacerbated by severe malnutrition, in White Nile State alone.
Hundreds of thousands of people, primarily South Sudanese refugees fleeing Khartoum, have flooded ten refugee camps in the state. For instance, Um Sangour camp, originally designed for 30,000 residents, now shelters over 70,000.
The rainy season, a common occurrence in this region, brings added perils. Aid organizations express deep concern that the current rainy season, coupled with the increasing displacement, could lead to a surge in water-borne diseases, including cholera.
Sudan is also grappling with outbreaks of life-threatening diseases such as cholera, measles, malaria, and dengue, posing a significant threat to public health.
Cholera, a deadly threat, has already begun to loom over the nation, with more than 1,000 suspected cases reported in Gedaref, Khartoum, and Kordofan states.
The lack of access to fundamental healthcare and essential medications is costing lives.
The courageous aid workers striving to bring relief to those affected face insurmountable obstacles.
They contend with security risks and bureaucratic hurdles that hamper their efforts. Since April 15, at least 45 aid workers, many of them Sudanese, have been detained or killed.
Reports of horrific acts of sexual violence and the deepening ethnic divide, especially in Darfur, continue to cast a dark shadow.
Even when access is granted, chronic underfunding hampers humanitarian missions, with only 33% of the required US$2.6 billion received to assist Sudan’s vulnerable population.
To compound the crisis, there has been a troubling increase in attacks on healthcare personnel and facilities, exacerbating the existing challenges.
Essential services have crumbled, leaving over 70% of healthcare facilities in conflict zones non-operational.
As a result, 19 million children are deprived of their right to education, dimming the nation’s future prospects.
This has fractured communities, left vulnerable individuals without life-saving aid, and placed neighboring nations under the strain of surging humanitarian demands due to the mass exodus from Sudan.
Nearly six months of turmoil have left Sudan’s healthcare system in ruins, with many health facilities attacked, rendering them non-operational.
In accordance with a recent update from the World Health Organization (WHO), Sudan’s healthcare system is confronting a dire situation that has extended over six months.
Several key points highlight the gravity of the issue. Approximately 70% of healthcare facilities in the country have ceased operations. Furthermore, healthcare workers are tirelessly fulfilling their roles without receiving any compensation.
In the face of these dire circumstances, there is an urgent and compelling need for the international community to come together in solidarity and provide vital donor support to address Sudan’s healthcare system crisis.
UNHCR, in collaboration with the World Health Organization and local authorities, is intensifying its response to address the deteriorating health situation.
This includes measles vaccinations and the distribution of food and medicine. However, resources are stretched to their limits.
Dr. Muwonge Nasur Lubega, a public health officer with UNHCR emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating, “For 70,000 people in this camp, we are expected to have seven primary healthcare facilities. We only have one at the moment, and therefore additional funding is required to increase the number.”
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