Sudan war spurs health crisis, WHO warns of disease spread

Thousands of refugees are arriving in Chad from Sudan.

As the war between rival militaries in Sudan continues, the World Health Organization (WHO) has raised alarm over the escalating health emergency, driven by ongoing violence, mass displacement, collapsing health systems, and poor conditions inside refugee camps.

“The ongoing conflict and displacement, in addition to fragile health infrastructure and limited access to affected populations, pose a risk of mass disease transmission,” the UN health agency said in a report issued Tuesday, urging immediate support to sustain surveillance, bolster outbreak response, and preserve lifesaving health services.

Since civil war erupted in April 2023, 14.5 million people have been displaced — 10.5 million internally and four million to neighbouring countries such as Egypt, South Sudan, Chad, Ethiopia, Libya, and the Central African Republic — making this the world’s largest displacement crisis.

Inside Sudan, the conflict has devastated infrastructure and triggered the collapse of essential services, fuelling the spread of cholera, measles, and other communicable diseases.

At Tuesday’s press briefing in New York, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric reported that with fighting and shelling intensifying across the country, “the cholera outbreak in Khartoum state is worsening at an alarming rate,” with cases rising by 80 percent over the past two weeks.

Mr. Dujarric called for “increased, flexible and timely funding to scale up the humanitarian response, as well as unimpeded access via all necessary routes, so that aid workers can reach people in need wherever they may be.”

Disease and Displacement

The impact extends well beyond Sudan’s borders. As of 7 May, Egypt has received 1.5 million Sudanese refugees since the fighting began. The country has expanded healthcare coverage, but Sudanese refugees face higher costs under the Universal Health Insurance system. WHO Egypt is working with national authorities to strengthen health services and reach the most vulnerable.

However, as Sudanese refugees arrive at overcrowded camps across the region, the situation is even more dire.

In Chad, where over 726,000 people have arrived in four crisis-affected eastern provinces already overwhelmed with other refugees, health needs are urgent. Refugees face outbreaks of malaria, measles, hepatitis E, and severe acute malnutrition. There have been 657,135 malaria cases and 314 deaths across the country this year.

In South Sudan, which has received over 1.5 million people, including 352,000 Sudanese, conflict and attacks on health facilities have severely hindered response efforts. Hunger and cholera are especially concerning, with 7.7 million people facing severe food insecurity and more than 54,800 cholera cases and 1,000 deaths reported since late September.

Ongoing WHO Support

Despite a growing funding crisis and severe operational challenges, WHO and its partners continue providing vital support. This includes assistance to 136 nutrition stabilisation centres, delivery of medical supplies and consultations, cholera treatment sites, and efforts to rebuild damaged health infrastructure.

The agency has called for sustained global support to prevent the worsening of what is already one of the gravest humanitarian and public health emergencies in the world today.