The World Health Organization warned on Thursday that Sudan's health system was nearing collapse after funding shortfalls forced the closure of 36 health facilities serving more than a million people. The agency appealed for emergency donor support to reopen clinics across conflict-hit regions.

The closures, confirmed by aid groups operating in Sudan, followed sharp reductions in international humanitarian funding this year. Many affected facilities provided maternal care, childhood vaccinations and treatment for malnutrition in areas devastated by the war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces.

A WHO spokesperson said the shutdowns had left entire communities without access to primary care as cholera and measles outbreaks continued to spread. The organization estimated that millions of Sudanese now lacked reliable access to essential health services.

Aid agencies including the Norwegian Refugee Council and Doctors Without Borders warned that cuts by major donors, including the United States, have hollowed out relief operations. They cautioned that further closures were likely without immediate replacement funding.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said Sudan remained the world's largest displacement crisis, with more than 12 million people forced from their homes since fighting erupted in April 2023.