Foreign Assistance Cuts: Impacts on Access to Healthcare in Sudan

HDRI is proud to announce the release of our latest research paper: Foreign Assistance Cuts: Impacts on Access to Healthcare in Sudan. Authored by Roisin Malone and edited by Laura Coburn, this critical global health paper analyzes how recent reductions in global foreign assistance exacerbate the healthcare crisis in conflict-affected Sudan.

Key Insights from the Research:

• Escalating Humanitarian Need: Ongoing armed conflict has left 33.7 million people in Sudan requiring humanitarian assistance, with 21 million in urgent need of health services.

  
  

• Global Aid Retrenchment: Following a peak of 80.3 billion USD in 2021, global Development Assistance for Health (DAH) shrank significantly, exacerbated by budget cuts from major donor nations and the dismantling of USAID.

  
  

• A "Force Multiplier" for Crisis: Aid cuts act as a force multiplier: amplifying existing challenges such as damaged health infrastructure (over 70% destroyed in conflict areas), attacks on health personnel, and increased risk of disease outbreaks like cholera.

  
  

• Critical Gaps in Sexual & Reproductive Health: Funding shortfalls severely impact Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) and Gender-Based Violence (GBV) responses, leaving a funding gap exceeding 100.7 million USD for essential care for women and girls.

  
  

• Local Resilience Under Strain: Decentralized community-led initiatives, such as Emergency Response Rooms (ERRs), are filling vital operational gaps but face chronic underfunding and extreme operational dangers.

At HDRI, we emphasize the urgent need to address systemic funding shortfalls and safeguard fundamental rights to healthcare in conflict zones. This research offers vital insights for international actors, donors, and humanitarian organizations working to navigate shifting financial landscapes.

Read the Full Research Paper:

We invite policymakers, researchers, and global health advocates to explore our findings.

today to understand the critical intersections of foreign aid policy and healthcare access in conflict settings.