At the International Humanitarian Conference for Sudan and its Neighbours on April 15, 2024, the WHO Director-General delivered remarks expressing gratitude to France, Germany, and the European Union for hosting the crucial meeting. The Director-General highlighted the dire situation in Sudan, emphasizing the catastrophic death toll, displacement, destruction, and hunger that have ravaged the country.

Expressing a personal connection to Sudan due to a lifelong proximity to the region, the Director-General underscored the profound health crisis unfolding, which could have long-lasting repercussions for generations to come. With over 15,000 people killed in fighting, 30,000 injured, and millions in need of health assistance, the crisis has reached alarming proportions.

The Director-General lamented the attacks on the health system, with over 62 verified attacks on healthcare facilities reported, a figure believed to be underreported. In hard-to-reach areas, 70% of health facilities are non-operational, leaving vulnerable populations, especially women and girls, without essential healthcare services.

Despite efforts from WHO and partners, the scale of need far exceeds available resources and access, posing significant challenges to the humanitarian mission. To address the crisis and save lives, the Director-General outlined three critical needs: access across borders and humanitarian corridors, cessation of attacks on health facilities, and increased funding for the health sector.

Furthermore, the Director-General emphasized the imperative of peace as the ultimate solution to the ongoing conflict in Sudan. Urging stakeholders to leverage their influence to push for peace negotiations, the Director-General concluded by calling for collective action and support to end the war and alleviate the suffering of the Sudanese people.