The Sudanese Ministry of Health announced on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, a significant increase in malaria infections, with several states surpassing the epidemic threshold after a period of relative decline.
The announcement was made during the 120th meeting of the Federal Emergency Operations Center, which reviewed periodic health reports with the participation of ministry officials, international organizations, and humanitarian partners—both in person and via video conference.
Rising health concerns amid internal displacement
According to the ministry’s briefing, large numbers of displaced people continue to arrive from North Kordofan and North Darfur, raising fears of a potential cholera resurgence. Health facilities in host communities are under mounting strain due to overcrowding and limited resources.
The meeting also confirmed reported cases of hepatitis in River Nile State, prompting a joint response mission by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Federal Ministry of Health, due to arrive in Gezira State by the end of the week. Additionally, the ministry announced a measles vaccination campaign in Khartoum from December 22 to 27.
Mixed epidemic trends
Health officials reported that while cholera and dengue fever outbreaks have recently subsided, malaria cases are climbing again across most Sudanese states. No official figures or distribution data were released, and the ministry has not clarified whether current facilities have the capacity to manage the resurgence.
The meeting also addressed deteriorating conditions in displacement camps, highlighting major challenges such as mental‑health stress, poor environmental sanitation, and a severe shortage of medical personnel. These problems have deepened amid a broad collapse of essential services since the war began in April 2023.
Calls for urgent mitigation and national coordination
Participants called for accelerated implementation of the national hepatitis control plan, particularly targeting pregnant women, and for intensified efforts to tackle hepatitis C, which remains closely linked to unsafe water sources and weak environmental health services. Despite calls for action, the ministry did not outline any immediate plan for expanding health interventions in the most‑affected regions.
Sudan’s healthcare system has faced dramatic decline since the onset of the conflict between the army and the Rapid Support Forces, hindering immunization programs and disease‑control campaigns. The collapse of infrastructure, disruptions in water supply, and movement restrictions have fueled a dangerous rise in infectious and vector‑borne diseases across the war‑torn country.
Source: Sudanese Ministry of Health and humanitarian coordination reports
