Khartoum – Sudan Now | May 2, 2026

 

The World Health Organization (WHO) announced the launch of the 2026 Minimum Humanitarian Health Services Package in Sudan, aimed at ensuring the continuity of life-saving services amid the collapse of the health system caused by the war.

 

The organization said Sudan’s health sector is operating in “one of the most complex contexts globally,” amid the ongoing conflict, repeated displacement, disease outbreaks, as well as the destruction of health infrastructure and the disruption of supply and referral systems.

 

The new package aims to define the minimum health services that must be provided in affected areas, including maternal and child health services, nutrition, control of communicable diseases, treatment of conflict-related injuries, as well as mental health care and chronic disease management.

 

The report explained that one of the key challenges in Sudan lies not only in the shortage of services, but also in their fragmentation and weak integration, which has contributed to rising rates of illness and mortality.

 

It noted that the package responds to the country’s major health risks, including outbreaks of cholera and measles, the spread of malaria and dengue fever, as well as acute malnutrition and complications related to pregnancy and childbirth.

 

The organization stressed that the success of this package depends on improving humanitarian access, strengthening referral systems, and ensuring the availability of medical supplies, alongside supporting local organizations working in the health sector.

 

It also called on donors to support this unified framework as a means of reducing waste and improving the effectiveness of the health response in Sudan.

 

Sudan’s health sector has been experiencing a widespread collapse since the outbreak of war in April 2023, with a large number of health facilities going out of service and worsening crises linked to diseases, epidemics, and shortages of medical personnel.

 

Through this model, the United Nations seeks to shift from fragmented responses to a more focused and effective system that ensures the delivery of a minimum set of health services in an environment marked by funding shortages and limited humanitarian access.