WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and Regional Director Dr. Hanan Balkhy have concluded a two-day mission to Port Sudan, reaffirming WHO’s commitment to addressing the extreme health and humanitarian crisis in the country. The leaders called for urgent international action to support Sudan and end the ongoing conflict, which has devastated the nation’s healthcare system.
During their visit, Dr. Tedros and Dr. Balkhy met with key Sudanese officials, including Lt. Gen. Abdul Fatah Al-Burhan, Chairman of the Transitional Sovereignty Council, and Federal Minister of Health Dr. Haitham Mohamed Ibrahim Awadallah. Discussions centered on the need for unhindered humanitarian access to ensure that essential aid reaches all affected populations.
“The world has largely forgotten Sudan, with catastrophic consequences,” said Dr. Tedros during a press conference in Port Sudan. “We are here to call for urgent action to provide more resources, more access to humanitarian aid, and more security for health workers and patients. The world must not fail the people of Sudan.”
Sudan’s health system has been severely impacted by the conflict, with more than 100 attacks on healthcare facilities, resulting in significant casualties and the exodus of medical professionals. This has left many citizens without access to essential health services. Additionally, 3.6 million children are acutely malnourished, and 730,000 suffer from severe acute malnutrition.
Dr. Balkhy emphasized the critical need to rebuild the country’s health infrastructure, which has been devastated by the conflict. “To stabilize Sudan’s health system, significant investment is needed—not only to restore facilities but also to strengthen the health workforce,” she stated.
The WHO leaders stressed that peace is the only sustainable solution to the crisis and urged the international community to provide the necessary short- and long-term support. With 25 million people in need of aid, and only 24% of WHO’s funding target met, the health response remains severely underfunded.
“The world cannot turn its back on Sudan. Immediate and collective action is essential,” Dr. Tedros concluded.
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