WHO urges Darfur health aid Needs outpace resources

Oct 6

After a ten-day Darfur mission, WHO representative Abdinasir Abubakar describes severe health needs and resilience among displaced communities and health workers. He says Tawila hosts more than 700,000 displaced people, with 5.6 million displaced across Darfur, and describes shortages of medicines, trained staff, referrals and mental-health support despite more than 23 responding partners. Poor rainfall and crop failure are worsening food insecurity and malnutrition; he attributes signs to El Niño and warns that further deterioration could increase disease risks. He describes existing surveillance, outbreak response, nutrition, supplies and vaccination work. WHO's $97.7 million Sudan emergency appeal has received $22 million, leaving roughly $75 million unfunded. In the complete Q&A he explains malnutrition and inadequate vaccination as disease vulnerabilities and calls for resources to preposition supplies and expand vaccination and care, alongside safe humanitarian access.

After a ten-day Darfur mission, WHO representative Abdinasir Abubakar describes severe health needs and resilience among displaced communities and health workers. He says Tawila hosts more than 700,000 displaced people, with 5.6 million displaced across Darfur, and describes shortages of medicines, trained staff, referrals and mental-health support despite more than 23 responding partners. Poor rainfall and crop failure are worsening food insecurity and malnutrition; he attributes signs to El Niño and warns that further deterioration could increase disease risks. He describes existing surveillance, outbreak response, nutrition, supplies and vaccination work. WHO's $97.7 million Sudan emergency appeal has received $22 million, leaving roughly $75 million unfunded. In the complete Q&A he explains malnutrition and inadequate vaccination as disease vulnerabilities and calls for resources to preposition supplies and expand vaccination and care, alongside safe humanitarian access.