SAPA Expands Humanitarian and Health Response Across Darfur and South Kordofan

The Sudanese American Physicians Association (SAPA) continues to expand its humanitarian, health, and recovery programs across Darfur and South Kordofan to help communities affected by conflict and displacement.

Working alongside international and local partners, SAPA is responding to urgent humanitarian needs by restoring health services, strengthening food security, protecting children, and supporting vulnerable families.

SAPA’s response combines direct field operations through its offices in El Geneina, Tawila, and Abu Jubeiha with remote implementation in areas where humanitarian access remains difficult. This approach allows lifesaving health and relief services to reach communities most in need.

Darfur Response

SAPA operates across Darfur through its field offices in El Geneina (West Darfur) and Tawila (North Darfur), while also supporting activities remotely in Central, East, and South Darfur.

West Darfur

In West Darfur, SAPA is implementing several health and humanitarian programs, including:

Maternal and reproductive health services, supported by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), through mobile teams providing maternal healthcare, gender-based violence services, and Clinical Management of Rape (CMR) in El Geneina and surrounding health facilities.

Rehabilitation of El Geneina Teaching Hospital, one of SAPA’s largest health infrastructure projects. The project includes the rehabilitation of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), the Kidney Dialysis Center, and the Internal Medicine Department, while supplying essential medical equipment, dialysis machines, a sustainable water system, and a solar power system.

Laboratory and Blood Bank Rehabilitation, funded by the Center for Disaster Philanthropy (CDP), to strengthen disease outbreak surveillance at El Geneina Teaching Hospital. The project also supports laboratory equipment, blood bank services, infection prevention and control, medical waste management, and preparedness for waterborne disease outbreaks.

Disease surveillance and outbreak response, supporting the Ministry of Health in El Geneina with field investigations and rapid response activities to help detect and contain disease outbreaks.

Food assistance, including Ramadan food basket distributions and Eid al-Adha meat distribution for displaced families and vulnerable households.

North Darfur

Through its Tawila office, SAPA continues to expand access to essential health services by implementing:

Primary health centers and mobile clinics, serving communities in Daba Naira, Mortal, and Tawila.

Maternal and reproductive health programs, in partnership with UNFPA, including the rehabilitation of Tawila Hospital for maternity services and deployment of midwives across Rokero, Kutum, El Fasher, and Tawila.

Community kitchens and food assistance, providing daily meals for displaced families while gradually transitioning to direct food basket distribution in coordination with local authorities.

Primary healthcare and nutrition services, implemented with UNICEF through several health centers in El Fasher and surrounding communities.

Rehabilitation of El Fasher Hospital, in partnership with UNFPA.

Cholera preparedness and flood emergency response, developed jointly with the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO) to prepare for seasonal flooding and outbreaks of acute watery diarrhea.

Upgrading Daba Naira Health Center into a Rural Hospital, in partnership with Muzz Foundation, expanding access to secondary healthcare services for communities west of Tawila.

Miss Rachel Children’s Learning Center, established in Tawila with support from Miss Rachel and SAPA to provide a safe environment for children’s protection and well-being.

Central, East, and South Darfur

Although implemented remotely, SAPA continues to support health system strengthening across these states through capacity-building and health workforce training programs in partnership with UNFPA.

South Kordofan Response

SAPA’s operations in South Kordofan are coordinated through its field office in Abu Jubeiha, which provides logistical, financial, and technical support for multiple humanitarian programs.

Current interventions include:

The SHARE Primary Healthcare Project, implemented with UNICEF, supporting the operation of several primary healthcare facilities while strengthening the capacity of healthcare workers and the Ministry of Health.

Emergency shelter and community kitchens, providing rapid humanitarian assistance for displaced people during emergencies in Dilling and Kadugli.

Integrated health, nutrition, food security, and cash assistance, supporting pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, children, and other vulnerable households across Dalami, Dilling, Kadugli, and Abu Jubeiha.

Mobile medical clinics, delivering healthcare services to hard-to-reach communities, particularly in Umlail.

Ramadan food assistance, including direct food basket distribution and community kitchens supporting displaced and conflict-affected families.

Remaining Humanitarian Gaps

Despite the scale of these interventions, significant funding and operational gaps continue to limit the humanitarian response.

The most urgent priorities include:

Completing the rehabilitation and ensuring at least one year of operational support for El Geneina Teaching Hospital, including ICU equipment, water infrastructure, and solar energy systems.

Supporting the operation of the new rural hospital in Daba Naira through medical equipment, staffing, and operational funding.

Expanding food security, livelihood support, and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services across North Darfur, where humanitarian needs continue to grow.

SAPA remains committed to providing lifesaving healthcare and humanitarian assistance to communities affected by conflict across Sudan. Working closely with local authorities, international agencies, donors, and community partners, SAPA will continue delivering critical services while supporting the long-term recovery and resilience of vulnerable populations.