Health needs in Darfur far exceed available resources

7 October 2026, Khartoum, Sudan – WHO is calling for an urgent increase in resources to meet growing humanitarian health needs in Darfur, alongside safe, sustained and unhindered humanitarian access to enable health partners to scale up the response. Health and humanitarian needs across Darfur far exceed the resources currently available to respond, particularly in Tawila, where more than 700 000 displaced people are facing severe gaps in health, nutrition, food, water, sanitation and protection services. The warning follows a 10-day field mission to Darfur states by WHO Representative in Sudan Dr Abdinasir Abubakar. He visited health facilities and met with health workers, community leaders and displaced communities to assess the evolving health situation and priority needs. From 14 to 24 September Dr Abdinasir visited all Darfur states except East Darfur, including major referral hospitals, primary health care centres, dialysis units, laboratory facilities and WHO-supported projects, including the World Bank-funded Sudan Health Assistance and Response to Emergencies (SHARE) Project at hospitals in Nyala and El Geneina, to assess progress and identify opportunities to strengthen health service delivery for vulnerable communities. The situation in Tawila reflects wider pressures across Darfur, where ongoing insecurity, large-scale displacement, limited access to essential services and recurrent disease outbreaks place millions of people at risk. According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Darfur hosts 65% of Sudan’s 8.6 million internally displaced people. Across the Darfur region, 39 health cluster partners on the ground continue to demonstrate strong commitment to deliver essential health services and reach millions of people in need. Despite these efforts, significant gaps remain. Many localities and vulnerable communities lack adequate access to basic, lifesaving health care. Health workers provide essential services under extremely difficul