ReliefWeb

Introduction:

Throughout the year 2020 health partners continued to provide lifesaving and life- sustaining health services to 8.6 million people in need for health assistance. The health sector prioritized the reach of 5 million people in the highest areas of need in accordance with the 2020 Humanitarian needs overview HNO severity scale.

During the year 2020, Sudan faced several emergencies, episodes of intercommunal violence affected several parts of the country especially in Darfur states, seasonal floods impacted all the 18 states with over 900,000 people affected, vector-borne disease outbreaks (malaria, Dengue, and chikungunya) are still encountered annually in addition to the emergence of vaccines preventable diseases such as diphtheria and polio.

On March 2020, the first case of COVID-19 was reported in Sudan. Since, the virus spread across the country with all states reporting positive cases. The case fatality ratio CFR averaged at 6.6 percent and being one of the highest recorded globally. The effect of the pandemic extended to impact service delivery across all levels of the health system adding to the burden on the already fragile system.

By the end of 2020, the inflation rates reached 260 percent with health cost estimated to be increased by 200 percent. Deteriorating economy compromised the health authorities’ capacity to retain health staff, avail the needed medical supplies, and address health emergencies.

As of November 2020, the world health organization WHO classified Sudan as level two acute emergency.