The war in Sudan is leaving millions of people hungry and displaced as the healthcare system is on the verge of collapse

UN agencies warn that nearly three years of continued violence, limited humanitarian access and declining funding have pushed Sudan into what they describe as the world’s worst humanitarian emergency.

An estimated 33.7 million people – about two-thirds of the population – will need humanitarian assistance by 2026. More than 20 million people now need health care, while 21 million people face acute food insecurity.

Devastating impact

The The conflict broke out in April 2023 following a power struggle between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which plunged the country into a civil war that has spread from the capital Khartoum to Darfur, Kordofan and other regions.

The fighting has destroyed infrastructure, fractured state institutions and exposed civilians to widespread violence, displacement and deprivation.

Repeated ceasefire attempts have failed and large parts of the country remain inaccessible to humanitarian actors due to insecurity, bureaucratic restrictions and ongoing hostilities.

A healthcare system on the brink

According to to the World Health Organization (WHOSudan’s healthcare system has nearly collapsed due to ongoing fighting, mass displacement and repeated attacks on medical facilities. More than a third of health care facilities across the country are not functioning, leaving millions of people cut off from essential and life-saving care.

Since the start of the conflict, WHO has verified 201 attacks on healthcare, resulting in 1,858 deaths and 490 injuries. Such attacks violate international humanitarian law and seriously endanger patients, caregivers and healthcare workers.

“A thousand days of conflict in Sudan have brought the healthcare system to the brink of collapse.” said Shible Sahbani, WHO representative in Sudan. “Under the pressure of disease, hunger and lack of access to basic services, people are facing a devastating situation.”

Despite insecurity and access restrictions, WHO continues to support life-saving services, delivering more than 3,300 tons of medicines and medical supplies worth approximately US$40 million. It also supported vaccination campaigns against cholera and helped millions of people access care through hospitals, primary health centers and mobile clinics.

Massive displacement

Sudan is also the world’s largest displacement crisis, with an estimated 13.6 million people uprooted by the fighting; approximately 9.3 million are internally displaced and another 4.3 million are seeking refuge in neighboring countries.

Overcrowded living conditions, poor sanitation and disrupted services have fueled outbreaks of cholera, malaria, dengue and measles in much of the country.

Children who bear the heaviest burden

Children make up about half of those expected to need humanitarian assistance in 2026, according to to the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

“Children are still being killed and injured,” said UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa Edouard Beigbeder notes that eight children have been killed in a single attack in North Kordofan this week alone.

In North Darfur alone, almost 85,000 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition were treated between January and November 2025 – about one child every six minutes – underscoring the scale of the crisis.

Calls for peace and access

Both WHO and UNICEF emphasize that humanitarian action, while lifesaving, cannot replace peace.

“To meet growing needs and prevent the crisis from spiraling out of control, WHO and humanitarian partners need safe and unhindered access to all areas of Sudan, and increased financial resources,said Dr. Sahbani.

For children, UNICEF warns that only an end to fighting can stop the erosion of safety, health and hope.

“All parties must fulfill their obligations under international humanitarian law: to protect civiliansstop attacks on infrastructure and ensure safe, sustainable and unhindered humanitarian access,” Mr Beigbeder said.