Sudan Crisis Deepens as Aid Agencies Warn of Worsening Hunger

LONDON | Sudan’s humanitarian crisis is deepening as the country enters another year of war, with aid agencies warning that hunger, displacement, disease and attacks on health care are combining into one of the world’s most severe emergencies.

The World Health Organization said in April that Sudan now accounts for the world’s largest humanitarian crisis, with 34 million people needing aid and 21 million lacking access to health services. The World Food Programme says nearly 34 million people, about 65 percent of the population, need urgent humanitarian assistance.

The figures reflect a crisis that has moved far beyond the front lines. Civilians are facing shortages of food, clean water, medicine, shelter and basic protection. Hospitals and clinics have been damaged, overwhelmed or cut off from supplies. Families have been displaced multiple times as violence shifts across regions.

Food insecurity is among the most urgent threats. WFP says famine conditions have been confirmed in Al Fasher and Kadugli, with additional areas across Greater Darfur and Greater Kordofan at risk. The agency has warned that the lean season could intensify hunger for families already pushed to the edge by conflict and economic collapse.

The health system is also under severe strain. WHO has warned that attacks on health care, disease outbreaks and shortages of medicine are making it harder to treat injuries, malnutrition, maternal-health needs and chronic illness. In places where hospitals remain open, staff often face shortages of fuel, equipment and basic supplies.

Sudan’s war has also created one of the world’s largest displacement crises. Millions have fled their homes, with many seeking safety in other parts of Sudan or crossing borders into neighboring countries. Displacement increases the risk of disease, hunger and exploitation, especially for children, older people and women traveling without stable shelter or income.

Humanitarian groups say access remains a major barrier. Aid convoys can be delayed or blocked by insecurity, damaged roads, bureaucratic restrictions and active fighting. Even when food and medicine are available, getting supplies to the communities that need them most can be dangerous and slow.

The crisis has also placed pressure on neighboring countries and regional aid systems. Refugees and displaced families need shelter, sanitation, education, health care and food assistance. Host communities often share limited resources, creating strain on local services and increasing the need for international support.

UN officials have repeatedly called for expanded humanitarian access, protection of civilians and increased funding. Aid agencies say the scale of need is outpacing available resources, forcing difficult choices about which communities receive assistance first. Those gaps can become deadly when malnutrition, disease and violence overlap.

Sudan’s crisis has received less public attention than its scale demands. Humanitarian leaders warn that the emergency risks becoming normalized even as conditions worsen. The numbers are vast, but each figure represents families trying to survive without reliable food, safety or medical care.

The path forward depends on security, access and sustained international attention. Humanitarian assistance can reduce suffering, but aid groups cannot end the conflict by themselves. Without a durable political solution and protections for civilians, the crisis will continue to deepen.

For now, aid agencies are pressing for immediate support to keep food, medicine, shelter and emergency health services moving. The warnings are clear: Sudan is not facing a distant risk of catastrophe. It is already living through one.

Sources and additional reporting: World Health Organization, World Food Programme, OCHA/ReliefWeb, UN Geneva humanitarian briefing.

Additional Reporting By: Reuters; BBC News; Associated Press