The first vaccines to reach Sudan’s South Kordofan state in nearly three years were delivered this week, according to Save the Children.

South Kordofan has not received any vaccines since July 2023 due to a siege by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF),which has blocked medical and humanitarian supplies. 

“This left thousands of children without protection from preventable disease at a time when malnutrition and displacement were putting them at heightened risk,” said Save the Children.

The organisation delivered two truckloads containing 18 metric tons of routine vaccines to Kadugli town in the south-central state over the past few days. 

The shipment includes the tuberculosis BCG vaccine, oral polio vaccine (OPV) and pentavalent vaccine (against diphtheria, tetanus, hepatitis B, whooping cough and Hib), as well as vaccines for rotavirus, pneumococcal, measles, meningococcal A, inactivated and Yellow Fever.

The vaccines, funded by Gavi, will support immunisation in five localities, including Kadugli where famine was confirmed in September 2025. 

Families in Al Reif Alshargi, Aldalang, Habila and Al Goos will also benefit, with more than 24,500 children set to receive routine vaccinations this year. In addition, nearly 6,000 women will receive the tetanus vaccine.

“Vaccines are one of the simplest and most effective tools we have to prevent child deaths,” said Dr Bashir Kamal Eldin, Save the Children’s health and nutrition director in Sudan.

“This vaccine delivery is a breakthrough for thousands of children and mothers who have endured months without reliable access to food and basic health services, conditions that have put their lives at serious risk.”

However, Eldin warned that the situation remains extremely fragile: “Without sustained peace and guaranteed humanitarian access, these gains could quickly be reversed.”

‘Humanitarian catastrophe’

The World Health Organization (WHO) has described the situation in Sudan as a “humanitarian catastrophe of staggering dimensions” in its latest report on the conflict.

The WHO estimates that 33,7 million people require assistance.  Some 11.5 million people have been forcibly displaced, with over 4.2 million fleeing into neighbouring countries. Chad recently closed its border with Sudan as it cannot cope with the influx of refugees.

“More than 21.2 million people are experiencing acute food insecurity,” said the WHO, with violence disrupting food and aid supply chains and agricultural production.

Some areas, including El Fasher (North Darfur) and Kadugli (South Kordofan), are facing famine, categorised as “Integrated Phase Classification Phase 5 (IPC Phase 5)”, when over 20% of households face an extreme lack of food and over 30% of children face acute malnutrition.

“The latest nutrition survey in Um Baru (North Darfur) recorded a Global Acute Malnutrition rate of 53%, of which 35% were classified as Severe Acute Malnutrition. Coupled with high rates of malnutrition, an overstretched health system and low immunisation coverage, this increases the risk of disease outbreaks and their catastrophic impacts,” said the WHO.

“Multiple disease outbreaks are occurring simultaneously, including cholera, dengue, malaria, measles, hepatitis E, and diphtheria.

“Over 40 000 injuries have been reported amid the ongoing conflict. Civilians continue to be killed, injured and displaced in ongoing attacks in the Darfur and Kordofan regions. Sexual violence remains pervasive.”

Between 15 April 2023 and 31 December 2025, the WHO has formally validated 201 attacks on health care, 1,858 deaths and 490 injuries.

“Many health facilities have been destroyed, looted, or are functioning with severe shortages of staff, medicines, vaccines, equipment, and supplies,” the WHO concludes.

Image Credits: Mohammed Jamal / UNICEF.