Adapting health care to a displacement crisis

Sudan | 2024 | CBPF

Sudan, Kassala. Sara was pregnant and suffering from cholera when she left Aj Jazirah state for Kassala, a gruelling and dangerous journey for anyone.

After more than 20 months of relentless conflict, Sudan has become one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises. Continuing armed conflict and attacks against civilians, displacement, hunger, malnutrition, disease outbreaks, and climate shocks have left nearly two-thirds of the people in need of humanitarian assistance.

The conflict triggered massive displacement: some 11.5 million people have fled their homes since the fighting began in April 2023, many of whom were already living in situations of displacement. Children make up well over half of the displaced population.

In August 2024, over 1,000 households from Aj Jazirah and Sennar states - including Sara’s - arrived in the West Airport Displacement Site in Kassala, moving from initial shelter in schools or wherever they could find safety, in very difficult conditions.

With support from the Sudan Humanitarian Fund, or SHF, Alight was the first organization to provide health assistance in the camp, expanding its support from previous displacement sites.

Alight also established a referral system for patients who lacked financial resources for emergency operations, covering the full cost of treatment including transportation.

While Sara was referred to emergency medical assistance, it was tragically too late to save her baby’s life.

As she recovers and cares for her other children she has studied to obtain her Sudanese diploma.

Rapid response stopped a cholera outbreak

When Alight identified a cholera outbreak in the camp, there were no health centres nearby. Between July and September 2024, 155 cases were logged. With rapid funding from the SHF, Alight launched an emergency response, treating patients and referring severe cases to Kassala’s Cholera Treatment Center (CTC). As the outbreak worsened, the Ministry of Health asked Alight to establish an in-camp treatment centre, which was later handed over to Medecins Sans Frontieres.

Thanks to this swift intervention, no new cholera cases have emerged since.

Alight’s Kassala Project Manager, Adam Basheir, emphasized the Humanitarian Fund’s flexibility: “When a crisis happens, within a week, you receive funds to respond. SHF’s 48-hour allocation was critical to our ability to contain cholera.”

Mr. Basheir also underscored the importance of integrating SHF grants with other support. While UN agencies are providing primary care kits, the SHF funding helps Alight procure additional medicines, ensuring patients with chronic illnesses receive proper care even when living in difficult circumstances.

For more information: visit the Sudan Humanitarian Fund and find real-time contribution and allocation data on the POOLED FUNDS DATA HUB.

Pooled Fund impact stories

Published May 2025.