On 03 November 2025, the African Development Bank Group and the World Health Organization (WHO) signed a bipartite funding and three-year implementation agreement for the Sudan Health Emergency and Infrastructure Project (SHEIP), aimed at improving access to quality healthcare across Sudan.

The project focuses on restoring essential healthcare services, enhancing emergency preparedness and response, and building resilient health systems to better serve communities in need. With only 48% of Sudanese health facilities fully functional, 12% partially functional, and 40% non-functional, millions of people face limited access to healthcare.

The SHEIP will directly benefit at least 6 million Sudanese, including 3 million women and 1.2 million internally displaced persons, providing them access to a full package of essential healthcare services.

“Throughout the two-and-a-half-year conflict-driven crisis, WHO has provided critical technical, operational, and supply chain support to Sudan’s health emergency response. With stability returning in parts of Sudan, it is time to implement response and recovery side by side,” said Shible Sahbani, WHO Representative to Sudan and Head of Mission.

Alex Mubiru, Director General of the East Africa Region at the African Development Bank Group, added, “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.”

Under this partnership, WHO will:

• Rehabilitate targeted health facilities and provide essential equipment.

• Equip primary healthcare facilities with a minimum package of conflict-sensitive health and nutrition services.

• Enhance quality of care through training, performance incentives, and infection prevention and control.

• Strengthen emergency preparedness via disease surveillance, rapid response teams, and training.

“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 aim to restore essential health services for communities that have endured years of hardship,” stated Peter Ogwang, Chief Health Analyst at the African Development Bank Group.

About African Development Bank Group:
The African Development Bank Group is Africa’s premier development finance institution, working across 41 African countries to promote economic and social progress. More at www.afdb.org.