With an extensive geographical area and a population of over 42 million, ensuring universal access to health services across Sudan is a significant task, as is responding to the health and socioeconomic impact of COVID-19.

To help Sudan address the development challenges and emergencies it currently faces, UNDP works with the Government and in collaboration with WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, other UN entities, and international partners – particularly The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund) – to support large-scale health enhancement, predominantly through civil works or the provision of essential supplies.

Furthermore, UNDP activities related to community stabilization, poverty alleviation and peacebuilding also incorporate improvements to health systems, and support emergency responses to outbreaks and disasters.

A significant proportion of our health portfolio relates to the UNDP-Global Fund partnership in Sudan, dating back to 2005. UNDP Sudan has served as the principal recipient of Global Fund grants, supporting the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) with project, procurement, supply chain and financial management, monitoring and evaluation.

UNDP and FMoH have subsequently expanded their partnership to other health programmes, including procurement of essential medicines on behalf of the Government, providing solar-power for health centres’ civil works, and health systems strengthening.

UNDP has a history of supporting health ministries with Global Fund grants in complex environments, navigating importation restrictions, using its procurement experience and strengthening FMoH capacity. While procuring and delivering essential medicines, UNDP will ultimately transfer full responsibility of Global Fund grants to national agencies.

COVID-19 Response

The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with Sudan’s economic challenges, illustrated the vital importance of the above activities, with existing health systems and economies coming under increasing pressure.

In response to COVID-19, UNDP rapidly mobilized support (repurposing funding from partners like the Global Fund, the Darfur Community Peace and Stabilization Fund, and others) to urgently conduct community training and awareness raising, produce and distribute PPE, WASH and hygiene materials and communication technology; support the rehabilitation or expansion of medical and isolation facilities, and evaluate the socioeconomic impact of COVID-19.

Our solutions

• Providing essential services to those in need (health care and access to medicines) by facilitating international partner involvement – primarily the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
• Incorporating health system improvements into community stabilization, poverty alleviation and peacebuilding activities, including the rehabilitation and construction of health-care infrastructure in conflict risk areas.

Achievements in 2021 include:

• More than USD43 million mobilized from the Global Fund, to support country response to COVID-19 as well as strengthening the primary health care system through rehabilitation of infrastructure, solarization and procurement of mobile clinics for out of reach populations.
• UNDP supported Darfur states by providing one ICU unit and 5 beds per state states along with 50 hospital beds to accommodate the increased demand for hospitalization because of COVID-19.
• UNDP supported National Medical Supplies Fund by procuring lifesaving medicines for Diabetics, and renal failure people worth more than USD10 million.
• 11,069 HIV/AIDS cases enrolled and kept on treatment.
• More than 18,000 TB cases were detected and enrolled in treatment from the TB facilities (over 342) providing free diagnostic and treatment services.
• Ensured uninterrupted supply of HIV and Tuberculosis medication, providing test kits, laboratory equipment and other supplies to all facilities providing HIV services.

Our valued partners