AfDB and WHO Launch Major Project to Restore Health Services Across Sudan

SHEIP is designed to expand access to quality healthcare services, reinforce emergency preparedness and response, and help rebuild the country’s fractured health infrastructure.

The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have signed a new bipartite funding and implementation agreement to launch the Sudan Health Emergency and Infrastructure Project (SHEIP) — a three-year initiative aimed at restoring and strengthening Sudan’s devastated health system. Signed on 3 November 2025, the agreement represents one of the most significant health-sector recovery efforts since conflict erupted in Sudan more than two years ago.

SHEIP is designed to expand access to quality healthcare services, reinforce emergency preparedness and response, and help rebuild the country’s fractured health infrastructure. The project will support WHO in restoring essential health functions while simultaneously strengthening long-term system resilience — a dual approach crucial for a nation still grappling with instability, mass displacement, and widespread humanitarian needs.

A Health System on the Brink

Sudan’s latest Health Resources and Services Availability Monitoring System (HeRAMS) report paints a stark picture:

• Only 48% of health facilities remain fully functional

• 12% are partially functional

• A crippling 40% are non-functional

This collapse leaves millions of Sudanese with severely restricted access to health services, including maternal care, childhood vaccinations, emergency surgery, and treatment for chronic illnesses.

Through SHEIP, WHO and the AfDB aim to rapidly restore essential services and expand access to healthcare for at least 6 million people — including 3 million women and 1.2 million internally displaced persons (IDPs). The ultimate goal is to uphold the population’s fundamental right to health, save lives, and re-establish dignity in communities suffering from prolonged conflict.

Strengthening Emergency Response and Supporting Early Recovery

Over the past two and a half years of conflict, WHO has led the health emergency response in Sudan, providing life-saving medical supplies, operating mobile clinics, supporting vaccination campaigns, and sustaining emergency health services under extremely challenging conditions.

Now, with stability returning to several regions, the organization is shifting toward early recovery, repairing damaged infrastructure and helping communities rebuild.

“With the return of stability in parts of Sudan, it is time to implement response and recovery side by side, and we stand committed to do that with the support of our partner, the African Development Bank,” said Shible Sahbani, WHO Representative to Sudan.

AfDB officials echoed the urgency of the mission.

“WHO’s proven expertise in managing complex health emergencies gives us confidence that this project will be implemented effectively, supporting early recovery and building resilience in the face of ongoing challenges,” said Alex Mubiru, Director General for the East Africa Region at the AfDB.

What SHEIP Will Deliver: Rebuilding, Re-equipping, and Restoring Care

Under the new partnership, WHO will undertake a broad range of activities to improve access to and delivery of essential healthcare. These include:

1. Rehabilitating Health Facilities and Infrastructure

• Repairing damaged clinics, hospitals, and primary healthcare centers

• Installing essential medical equipment and diagnostic tools

• Restoring infrastructure for maternal and newborn services

• Ensuring water, sanitation, and electricity access in health facilities

2. Re-equipping Primary Healthcare Providers

• Providing a minimum package of conflict-sensitive health and nutrition services

• Supplying essential medicines and medical consumables

• Ensuring health workers are trained in emergency care, case management, and safe delivery practices

• Strengthening infection prevention and control systems, including medical waste management

3. Enhancing Emergency Preparedness and Response

• Reinforcing disease surveillance and early-warning systems

• Training rapid response teams capable of addressing outbreaks, trauma, and mass casualties

• Improving coordination between state-level health authorities and national partners

• Strengthening logistics systems to ensure timely delivery of supplies

Targeting the Most Vulnerable Regions

SHEIP will prioritize areas hardest hit by the conflict and where health services have nearly collapsed. This includes:

• White Nile State — home to large IDP populations

• Greater Kordofan Region — marked by destroyed health facilities and repeated clashes

• Darfur — where years of violence have left communities reliant on humanitarian assistance

• Parts of Khartoum — where infrastructure has been heavily damaged

“This project is about reaching the people who need help the most. By focusing on areas like White Nile, Kordofan, Darfur, and parts of Khartoum, we hope to restore essential health services for communities that have endured years of hardship,” said Peter Ogwang, Chief Health Analyst at the African Development Bank.

A Foundation for Long-Term Health System Resilience

Beyond emergency recovery, the SHEIP initiative aims to build a more resilient, equitable, and shock-responsive health system capable of protecting communities from future crises. This includes:

• Modernizing public health infrastructure

• Strengthening human resources for health

• Improving coordination between national and subnational authorities

• Reinforcing supply chains and emergency stockpiles

• Supporting sustainable financial and governance frameworks

Rebuilding Health and Hope in Sudan

As Sudan continues to navigate the consequences of prolonged conflict, health system recovery will play a central role in restoring stability, reducing mortality, and rebuilding trust in public institutions. The AfDB–WHO partnership marks a vital investment not only in infrastructure and medical services, but also in the dignity, resilience, and future of millions of Sudanese families.