Global funding cuts are forcing dozens of health facilities in Sudan to shut down, putting hundreds of thousands of people at greater risk as the country continues to grapple with a devastating war, aid organisations have warned.
Aid groups said Tuesday that another 36 health facilities serving more than 400,000 people are expected to close this year because of declining international assistance.
The cuts are hitting a healthcare system that once had about 6,500 primary healthcare facilities and 300 public hospitals. The system was already severely damaged during the first 18 months of the conflict.
By September 2024, the World Health Organization reported that between 70% and 80% of healthcare facilities in the worst-affected areas were either closed or barely operational.
War Leaves Sudan’s Health System on the Brink
Sudan descended into war in April 2023 after tensions between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) erupted into widespread fighting.
The conflict has killed at least 59,000 people, displaced around 13 million others and pushed parts of the country into famine.
As funding dries up, more humanitarian organisations are scaling back their operations. Many clinics are struggling to obtain essential medicines and other supplies, leaving patients to make expensive and often dangerous journeys to access healthcare, according to Doctors Without Borders (MSF).
“These cuts are stripping away what little capacity remains, closing facilities, sending health workers home, and cutting off supply lines for medicines and nutrition treatment. The system is already stretched past its limit,” said Mesfin Teklu Tessema, senior technical health director for the International Rescue Committee (IRC).
Funding Cuts Shut 36 Health Facilities
Mohammed Mahdi, IRC director for East Sudan, told The Associated Press that funding shortages are forcing the closure of 36 IRC-supported facilities and sites.
The closures are expected to affect an estimated 473,700 people who rely on the facilities for essential health services.
“A small number of facilities are able to keep running for a short period using other funding sources, but this bridge support is only expected to last through the end of September,” Mahdi said of facilities across Sudan.
According to MSF, healthcare providers have struggled to secure replacement funding after grants supporting humanitarian organisations in Sudan expired in June. The funding shortfalls followed the announcement of US aid reductions last year, while some major European donors have also reduced their assistance.
The impact is particularly severe in areas hosting displaced populations.
In eastern Sudan’s Gedaref State, the Um Rakuba camp shelters around 17,000 displaced people but is now supported by fewer than 10 aid organisations operating in and around the camp. That is a sharp decline from about 35 organisations in 2021, MSF said.
The MSF-supported hospital in the camp “is now the only lifeline left” for refugees and residents, said Fabrizio Locuratolo, MSF humanitarian affairs manager.
Disease Outbreaks Add to Humanitarian Pressure
The reduction in healthcare services is also raising concerns about the spread of infectious diseases.
Ali Almohammed, MSF emergency health manager, warned that “serious disease outbreaks are already happening” in several parts of Sudan.
Speaking to the AP, he said measles had reached a “major outbreak level” in Darfur, with about 75% of measles patients reportedly unvaccinated.
Sudan is also dealing with outbreaks of cholera and malaria, adding further pressure to an already overstretched health system.
Efforts to End Sudan War Continue
Several attempts have been made to bring Sudan’s war to an end, including multiple rounds of peace negotiations.
Most recently, the United States called on the United Nations to impose sanctions on the warring parties as a way of increasing pressure on them to negotiate a settlement.
However, as diplomatic efforts continue, aid organisations warn that declining international funding is leaving Sudan’s healthcare system increasingly unable to meet the needs of millions affected by the conflict.
