FRI 28 FEB -- Conditions for millions of civilians in North Darfur have become catastrophic, and now humanitarians in Sudan are grappling with the abrupt cut in US funds which have crippled numerous life-saving aid operations.

Sudan is experiencing the world's biggest humanitarian crisis ever. Aid groups in Darfur speaking to Avaaz report a worsening famine, and severe shortages of safe drinking water and medical supplies, including early childhood vaccines. This week, the UN World Food Program  ended food distributions in famine-hit Zamzam, Sudan’s largest camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs) and MSF announced it had also halted its operations in the camp, saying the security situation was 'unbearable'.

Civilians in Zamzam had relied on water supplies trucked in from El Fasher to the camp. But clashes between the UAE-backed Rapid Support Forces (RSF), and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and allied Joint Forces have blocked water trucks from reaching the sprawling camp. Boreholes within the camp do not provide sufficient water for an estimated 1 million people. Water treatment supplies, which ensure that water is safe for consumption, have run out.

To make matters even worse, babies and young children in North Darfur are dying due to a severe shortage of vaccines. Parts of North Darfur have not received vaccines since December 2023, and El Fasher has not received vaccine deliveries since May last year - a drop of almost 90% in the number of children vaccinated against measles since 2023, and an 85% reduction in tuberculosis vaccines, according to medical experts.

Seasonal outbreaks of acute-watery diarrhea (AWD) and cholera are already expected when the rainy season begins in May. Without an urgent increase in humanitarian assistance and stockpiling supplies before the rainy season, people in North Darfur will be left to fend for themselves once roads become impassable due to flooding, as in previous years.

Of the few aid groups operating in North Darfur, most said their life-saving work had been decimated by the US aid freeze. One humanitarian, who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the situation, told Avaaz their Sudan budget had been cut by 70% following the U.S. funding freeze. Another organisation reported that all medical operations in Zamzam would end, after they received a stop work order in January. In February they continued to fund their North Darfur work using internal resources. But with a $200,000/month budget to sustain their operations which includes medical clinics, community kitchens, and programming for children, external funding is critical to avoid closing down.

One humanitarian worker in Darfur, who requested anonymity, said to Avaaz that the humanitarian situation in Sudan is deteriorating rapidly, and without immediate restoration of USAID funding, millions will be left without essential health, nutrition, protection, and WASH services.

He said: "The consequences of these funding gaps will be catastrophic. Rising malnutrition and mortality rates, preventable disease outbreaks, and an overwhelming strain on the already collapsing healthcare system. Urgent donor action is needed to reverse these funding cuts and ensure that life-saving interventions can continue before the situation spirals further out of control.

"These funding shortages are going to be catastrophic in North Darfur, where some localities have already declared famine. The country has dangerously high Global Acute Malnutrition rates, cholera outbreaks, and collapsing healthcare services, exacerbating an already dire humanitarian situation.

"One of the most immediate and damaging effects of these funding cuts has been the halt of essential training programs. Many health and nutrition staff are new and lack the necessary skills, directly affecting the quality of care provided. Without ongoing capacity-building efforts, frontline workers are unable to deliver effective services, worsening an already fragile healthcare system.

"Funding shortages have forced the suspension of plans to expand health and nutrition services to newly accessible areas, such as Wad Madani in Al Jazirah state, where needs are acute after more than 14 months under RSF control. Thousands of displaced and conflict-affected individuals in these areas remain without critical healthcare, leaving malnourished children, pregnant and lactating women, and people with chronic illnesses at extreme risk."

Programs to address Gender-Based Violence and Mental Health and Psychosocial Support have been hit hard by the US cuts. "The ongoing conflict has resulted in an alarming increase in GBV cases, yet the reduction in funding has led to the scaling down of safe spaces, case management, and survivor support services, leaving vulnerable women and girls without the protection they urgently need. Essential psychological support to conflict survivors, internally displaced persons, and frontline workers, are being forced to shut down, further deepening the mental health crisis in Sudan.

"WASH services, already severely underfunded, have been further impacted by these funding cuts, contributing to the resurgence of cholera outbreaks across multiple regions. The lack of safe water, sanitation, and hygiene facilities is accelerating the spread of waterborne diseases, particularly in displacement camps and conflict-affected areas, where thousands are living in overcrowded, unsanitary conditions with no access to clean water. The failure to support WASH interventions will lead to further outbreaks, worsening public health outcomes and increasing preventable deaths."

International developments

On Thursday, the United Nations Security Council convened a meeting to address the escalating crisis in Sudan. Edem Wosornu, Director of Operations and Advocacy at the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), highlighted the severe humanitarian situation, noting that nearly two-thirds of Sudan’s 47.5 million population require aid, with over 12 million displaced since the conflict’s onset in April 2023. Zamzam displacement camp in North Darfur has experienced intensified violence, leading to the suspension of aid operations by organizations such as Médecins Sans Frontières and the World Food Programme. Wosornu emphasized the critical need for unimpeded humanitarian access, protection of civilians, and increased international funding to address the crisis.

Footage & Images

• Footage of Antonov plane crash in Omdurman on 25 February 2025. Source: Sudan War Updates
• Footage of the remains of the wreckage of the warplane shot down by RSF in Nyala on 24 February 2025. Source: Ayin
• Footage from Sudanese American Physicians Association (SAPA) Food Security Operations resuming operations in Zamzam displacement camp. Source: SAPA

Latest Stats

• More than 30 million Sudanese people — almost two-thirds of the population — urgently need humanitarian aid. Source: OCHA
• More than 17 million children are out of school across Sudan. Source: OCHA
• The freezing of US humanitarian assistance has forced the closure of almost 80% of the emergency food kitchens in Sudan. Source: BBC

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The weekly dispatch features the latest developments, first-hand testimony, footage, photos, stats and analysis on Sudan. We can connect you with voices from the ground, experts and survivors of the war. For more info, email sudan@avaaz.org
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