Sudan’s health crisis deepens after three years of war, turning preventable diseases into killers while hospitals burn under relentless attacks.
Story Snapshot
- Sudan hosts the world’s largest humanitarian crisis, with 34 million needing aid and 21 million without health services.
- 217 verified attacks on healthcare since 2023 killed 2,052 and injured 810, crippling 37% of facilities.
- 4.2 million children and pregnant women face acute malnutrition amid simultaneous outbreaks of malaria, measles, cholera, and more.
- Both SAF and RSF violate international law by targeting medics, deepening suffering in active war zones.
Conflict Ignites on April 15, 2023
Sudanese Armed Forces clashed with Rapid Support Forces in a power struggle that exploded nationwide. Airstrikes and gunfire shattered Khartoum and beyond, killing over 15,000 in the first year alone. This rivalry dismantled Sudan’s fragile healthcare system, already strained by underinvestment. Fighters targeted hospitals, ambulances, and staff, violating international humanitarian law. Three years later, the war shows no end, fueling the planet’s worst health emergency.
Healthcare System Under Systematic Assault
Attackers struck El Daein Teaching Hospital in East Darfur, killing 64 including children and workers, closing a vital hub for hundreds of thousands. WHO verified 217 attacks since April 2023, causing 2,052 deaths and 810 injuries. In 2025, Sudan saw 82% of global healthcare attack fatalities. From January to mid-March 2026, 11 more assaults killed 46 and wounded 28. Across 18 states, 37% of facilities stand non-functional.
No justification excuses bombing healers; peace demands accountability. MSF documented 100 violent incidents against their operations, underscoring how both sides prioritize power over lives.
Disease Outbreaks Multiply in Chaos
Malaria, dengue, measles, polio, hepatitis E, meningitis, and diphtheria rage across Al Jazirah, Darfur, Gedaref, Khartoum, Kordofan, River Nile, and White Nile states. Cholera hit in August 2024; measles swept Darfur in 2024-2025. Collapsed vaccinations reverse maternal and child mortality gains. MSF treated 12,000 measles cases and 42,200 cholera patients in 2025. Preventable killers thrive where war blocks care.
4.2 million children under five, pregnant, and breastfeeding women suffer acute malnutrition, amplifying disease risks. Patients trek dangerous distances to rare functioning clinics. WHO delivered 3,300 tons of supplies and vaccinated 46 million, yet funding lags as crises deepen.
Displacement and Generational Scars
14 million fled homes: 9 million internally displaced, 4.5 million to Chad and South Sudan. Half of displaced are under 18, facing lifelong health deficits. Famine struck Zamzam camp in 2024. Neighboring nations strain under refugee burdens, lacking resources for the influx. War’s ripple effects destabilize the region, demanding urgent borders and aid.
WHO’s Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warns war denies basics like health and food. Dr. Hanan Balkhy calls it the largest ongoing health crisis, with diseases spreading and malnutrition rising. MSF notes global neglect despite catastrophe scale. Experts agree: peace alone restores health.
Sources:
Sudan: Three years of war in five shocking numbers | MSF UK
After three years of conflict, Sudan faces a deeper health crisis
Timeline: Three years of war in Sudan | Doctors Without Borders – USA
