Throughout the war, our teams have faced numerous challenges in the delivery of care, including restrictions imposed by both warring parties, delays in receiving travel permits, disruptions to supply routes due to insecurity, and attacks on our facilities and staff.
Health facilities have been targeted in many parts of the country, including in El Fasher, North Darfur, and in south Khartoum, where armed fighters have entered hospitals on several occasions, firing weapons and killing a patient in Bashair Teaching Hospital.
Violence-related injuries
The war has put intense pressure on hospitals with surgery and emergency departments, as patients come in with catastrophic injuries caused by explosions, bullets, and stabbings.
In recent months, MSF has observed the extensive use of drones by both RSF and SAF, with strikes increasingly occurring far beyond front lines, targeting logistical infrastructure and populated civilian areas. Since February 2026, MSF has treated around 400 people for drone injuries after strikes hit civilian areas in eastern Chad, as well as in various areas of Darfur. According to the United Nations, these attacks killed over 500 civilians from January 1 to March 15, 2026.
Malnutrition
Malnutrition has reached alarming levels in places like Zamzam camp in North Darfur, Omdurman, South Darfur, and other areas. The crisis began when deliveries of food and other humanitarian assistance came to a halt following the outbreak of war in 2023, and was further exacerbated after May 2024 as the RSF laid siege to El Fasher and surrounding camps like Zamzam.
More than 15,000 children under 5 were admitted to MSF’s inpatient feeding programs for acute malnutrition in 2025.
Disease outbreaks
MSF has witnessed recurrent outbreaks of deadly, yet preventable, diseases across Sudan — from measles in Darfur to hepatitis E in Jazeera state, and cholera in Khartoum and White Nile. In 2025, we treated more than 12,000 patients for measles and nearly 42,200 for cholera. These surges are claiming the lives of the most vulnerable, especially children and pregnant women.
The lack of availability and access to vaccinations has left many children unvaccinated, heightening the risk of deadly but vaccine-preventable diseases like measles.
Maternal and child health
The war in Sudan has had a profound impact on the health of pregnant women and their babies. Due to the scarcity of health care facilities, pregnant women often seek care only after experiencing complications, which creates great risks for women and their newborns. And with the loss of livelihoods and disrupted access to food and clean water, many pregnant women arrive at hospitals malnourished. This also affects the health of their babies, who are often born preterm and malnourished due to the mother’s malnutrition. These babies are frequently admitted to observation units to ensure their survival and well-being.
Access to health care
Active fighting and lack of transportation hinder patients’ ability to reach the health facilities that are functioning. By the time many arrive at a hospital, they are in critical condition; pregnant women often have to give birth at home. In addition, people with chronic diseases like diabetes, asthma, and heart disease are facing serious complications due to the lack of medicines and access to functional health facilities.
