PERSPECTIVE article
Front. Public Health
Sec. Public Health Policy
Volume 13 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2025.1647917
This article is part of the Research TopicAdvancing Public Health Preparedness and Response in the Eastern Mediterranean Region: Challenges, Opportunities, and Ways Forward – Insights from the 8th EMPHNET Regional ConferenceView all 3 articles
Public Health in Sudan: Priorities, Challenges, and Pathways to Resilience in Crisis
Provisionally accepted
Majd Alsoukhni1*
Muna Abdel Aziz2Haytham Qosa3Ibrahim Bani4
Maye Abu Omar5
Muntasir Elhassan6
Haitham Bashier7Yousef Khader7Magid Al-Gunaid7
Mohannad Al Nsour7- 1The Eastern Mediterranean Public Health Network (EMPHNET), Amman, Jordan
- 2Director of Public Health (Salford, UK), Salford, United Kingdom
- 3International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) - MENA, Amman, Jordan
- 4Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, United States
- 5University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
- 6Republic of Sudan Federal Ministry of Health, Khartoum, Sudan
- 7Eastern Mediterranean Public Health Network, Amman, Jordan
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In April 2023, the armed conflict erupted in Sudan, exacerbating the ongoing crisis with widespread violence, health system collapse, and outbreaks of vaccine-preventable, vectorborne, and water-borne diseases. Despite these devastating consequences, the international response has been inadequate, requiring urgent advocacy for increased global support.During the EMPHNET 8th Regional Conference (September 15-18, 2024), a two-hour forum, "Public Health in Sudan: Priorities and Solutions," brought together a moderator and six distinguished speakers to discuss critical aspects of the health crisis. The forum addressed four key areas: the health and humanitarian needs in Sudan, strategies for building a resilient health system, the role of multisectoral coordination and integrated policies, and the contributions of local and international actors in crisis response and resource mobilization.Key recommendations emphasized strengthening supply chains, decentralizing resources, and fostering multisectoral collaboration to address health determinants and optimize response efforts. Building health system resilience through training, capacity development, and communitybased health solutions was identified as critical. The panel also advocated for sustained, conflictsensitive funding mechanisms and preventive care to improve public health in Sudan.In conclusion, the discussions highlight the importance of integrating health system resilience into recovery plans and fostering strong partnerships to ensure a health system that is adaptable, inclusive, and sustainable. By addressing immediate needs and preparing for future crises, Sudan can build a robust healthcare system capable of withstanding prolonged challenges.
Keywords: Sudan, Crisis, impact on health systems, Health system resilience, Public Health
Received: 17 Jun 2025; Accepted: 24 Jul 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Alsoukhni, Abdel Aziz, Qosa, Bani, Omar, Elhassan, Bashier, Khader, Al-Gunaid and Al Nsour. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Majd Alsoukhni, The Eastern Mediterranean Public Health Network (EMPHNET), Amman, Jordan
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