These initiatives aim to restore and enhance access to health services and provide emergency safety nets for vulnerable communities affected by conflict and natural disasters.
Background and Context
Sudan has been grappling with severe humanitarian challenges due to ongoing conflict, which has displaced over 11 million people, including 3 million who have fled to neighboring countries. The economic repercussions are dire, with the GDP contracting by 20% in 2023 and 15% in 2024. Inflation is soaring, and food insecurity is widespread, with critical sectors like agriculture severely impacted. Currently, two-thirds of the population lack access to essential health services, and disease outbreaks such as cholera, malaria, and dengue are exacerbating the situation.
The SHARE Project
The Sudan Health Assistance and Response to Emergencies (SHARE) Project is allocated $82 million to strengthen Sudan's healthcare services. This includes a $19.5 million grant to the World Health Organization (WHO) and a $62.5 million grant to UNICEF, sourced from the World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA). The project targets over nine million people across displaced and host communities, focusing on community engagement and a continuum of care.
Key Objectives of the SHARE Project
- Restore access to basic health and nutrition services.
- Preserve essential public health functions.
- Enhance emergency preparedness and disease control systems.
Project Components
The SHARE project is structured around several key components:
- Improving Access to Basic Health and Nutrition Services: This component focuses on enhancing access through low-cost, high-impact interventions using a Primary Health Care (PHC) approach. It includes services like immunization, maternal and child health, nutrition, and noncommunicable diseases management.
- Strengthening Health Systems: This involves maintaining the capacity of existing health systems, including public health facilities and community-level engagement, to ensure a continuum of care.
- Climate Change Adaptive Health Service Delivery: Given Sudan's vulnerability to climate change, this component aims to reduce the impacts of climate change on health services by developing contingency plans and enhancing the resilience of health facilities.
The SANAD Project
In parallel, the SUDAN SANAD - Emergency Crisis Response Safety Net Project has been granted $100 million to provide emergency safety nets to food-insecure populations. This project, in partnership with the World Food Programme (WFP) and UNICEF, aims to reach approximately 140,000 households, focusing on severely food-insecure households, female or child-headed households, and those with members with disabilities.
Key Components of the SANAD Project
- Unconditional cash transfers to support vulnerable households.
- Human capital sensitive interventions linked to health and nutrition services.
- Strengthening community-level capacity and resilience.
Implementation Strategy
The SANAD project will be implemented over a two-year period, focusing on areas classified as IPC4 and IPC3 to help households weather multiple shocks. The project will leverage existing infrastructure and community networks to deliver cash transfers and support services.
Strategic Collaboration and Impact
The collaboration between these projects and other World Bank-supported initiatives in Sudan is extensive, characterized by joint design efforts and a complementary approach. By leveraging these synergies, the projects aim to expand their reach and address systemic challenges, ensuring robust, scalable solutions with lasting impact.
These projects underscore the World Bank's commitment to addressing the urgent needs of Sudan's vulnerable populations. By focusing on both immediate relief and long-term development, the initiatives aim to build a resilient health and social protection system in Sudan, capable of withstanding future challenges.
