The Global Fund Provides Vital Support to Combat AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in Sudan
Sudan Events – Follow-ups
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has signed grant agreements with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations Development Program for up to $170 million from 2024 to 2026 to support people living with HIV, TB and malaria and help build resilient and sustainable health systems.
UNICEF and UNDP will work in close partnership with the Federal Ministry of Health.
The United Nations Development Program – Sudan said in a statement that the conflict that broke out a year ago in Sudan led to the country being plunged into a humanitarian crisis. The consequences are far-reaching: 8.5 million people have been displaced – including 6.7 million within Sudan itself – basic services have been paralyzed, and the health and well-being of countless people has been put at risk. The conflict has exacerbated challenges in responding to the three diseases, which have been particularly devastating to the country’s most vulnerable communities. He explained that the vital systems that protect children and families are on the verge of collapse. It is estimated that 80% of hospitals in conflict-affected areas are not functioning and that medical supplies have been exhausted. Ongoing displacement and lack of access to health services disrupt treatment cycles for HIV and TB, increasing the risk of death, drug resistance and disease transmission. The program indicated that the grant agreement worth US$118 million signed between the Global Fund and UNICEF will ensure the provision of basic malaria services in Sudan. The grant aims to meet the urgent need for diagnostic tests and rapid malaria treatment for an estimated 6.5 million, 6.2 million and 5.8 million malaria cases in Sudan for the years 2024, 2025 and 2026, respectively. It will also help prevent malaria through the distribution of insecticide-treated mosquito nets and other forms of care to a population of 28 million people, as well as supporting the strengthening of relevant health systems and community-led initiatives.
“Extending this partnership with the government is an important part of UNICEF’s support for Sudanese children facing the devastating impact of the ongoing conflict on their health, security and well-being,” said Mandip O’Brien, UNICEF Representative in Sudan. “It is a testament to our collective determination to fight malaria in the country. “Sudan is now the largest displacement crisis in the world, and children on the move are the most vulnerable to death and succumbing to disease outbreaks.” The US$33 million grant agreement signed between the Global Fund and UNDP will continue to support people living with HIV and TB with life-saving services in Sudan. The grant includes the provision of essential medicines to meet Sudan’s current need to provide and maintain HIV treatment for 14,000 people and to treat an estimated 44,000 people with TB over three years in public hospitals and primary health centers that remain operational.
