Sudan Conflict Causes Hunger, Displacement, and Health System Collapse

UN agencies have issued a warning that nearly three years of continuous violence, limited humanitarian access, and decreasing funding have made Sudan the largest humanitarian crisis globally.

By 2026, approximately 33.7 million individuals, nearly two thirds of the population, are anticipated to require humanitarian aid. Currently, over 20 million people need health assistance, and 21 million are experiencing acute food insecurity.

Devastating impact

The conflict initiated in April 2023 due to a power struggle between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), leading to a civil war that has expanded from Khartoum to Darfur, Kordofan, and other areas.

The fighting has severely damaged infrastructure, weakened state institutions, and left civilians vulnerable to widespread violence, displacement, and deprivation.

Efforts for ceasefire have repeatedly failed, leaving large parts of the country inaccessible to humanitarian workers due to insecurity, bureaucratic issues, and continuing hostilities.

Patients are treated in a tent outside a hospital in Khartoum, as Sudan’s health system struggles with attacks, shortages, disease outbreaks, and natural disasters.

A health system on the brink

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Sudan’s health system is near collapse due to ongoing fighting, mass displacement, and repeated attacks on medical facilities. Over a third of health facilities nationwide are non-functional, leaving millions without essential and life-saving care.

Since the conflict began, WHO has confirmed 201 attacks on healthcare, causing 1,858 deaths and 490 injuries, violating international humanitarian law and endangering patients, caregivers, and health workers.

“One thousand days of conflict in Sudan have driven the health system to the brink of collapse,” said Shible Sahbani, WHO Representative in Sudan. “Under the strain of disease, hunger, and lack of access to basic services, people face a devastating situation.”

Despite insecurity and access challenges, WHO continues supporting life-saving services, delivering over 3,300 metric tonnes of medicines and supplies worth about $40 million. It has also supported cholera vaccination campaigns and helped millions access care through hospitals, primary health centers, and mobile clinics.

Mass displacement

Sudan is also experiencing the world’s largest displacement crisis, with an estimated 13.6 million people displaced by the fighting—around 9.3 million internally displaced and 4.3 million seeking refuge in neighboring countries.

Overcrowded conditions, poor sanitation, and disrupted services have led to outbreaks of cholera, malaria, dengue, and measles across much of the country.