On Tuesday, the World Health Organization (WHO) called for immediate access in Sudan, highlighting an “unfolding humanitarian catastrophe” that urgently needs to be contained.
“Access is crucially and immediately needed so that we can avert the disastrous health situation,” stated Shible Sahbani, WHO representative to Sudan, during a UN briefing in Geneva via video link. He emphasized the necessity for urgent action and a ceasefire to prevent the situation from spiraling out of control, potentially allowing diseases, malnutrition, and trauma to ravage Sudan’s population across generations.
Sahbani recounted his recent visit to Chad as part of a high-level WHO mission from both the Eastern Mediterranean and African regions. “The needs I saw in Chad mirrored what I had witnessed among the displaced people in Sudan – it was disturbing; heartbreaking even,” he said. Women and children he met spoke of hunger, illness, violence, and loss, with their suffering clearly visible.
He stressed that hunger was the primary reason refugees cited for fleeing Sudan. Currently, nearly 13 million people in Sudan are displaced, with over 10 million scattered within the country and more than 2 million seeking refuge in neighboring nations.
The states of Darfur, Kordofan, Khartoum, and Al Gezira are particularly hard-hit, effectively cut off from humanitarian and health assistance due to relentless fighting. The situation in Darfur is especially dire, with over 800,000 people in El Fasher besieged, lacking access to food, healthcare, and medical supplies. The wounded are unable to receive urgent care, and children, as well as pregnant and breastfeeding women, are severely weakened by acute hunger.
Sahbani also highlighted a significant funding gap, noting that the Humanitarian Response Plan for Sudan is only 26% funded, and the health response plan is 36% funded. He urged for urgent action to bridge this gap.
The conflict in Sudan began in April 2023, following a disagreement between army Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo over the integration of the RSF into the military. The conflict has resulted in nearly 16,000 deaths, displaced millions, and caused a devastating humanitarian crisis, according to UN figures.
