Sudan: Targeted WHO support restores the capacity of Sennar Teaching Hospital to provide intensive care to critically ill patients

Country: Sudan Source: World Health Organization 21 September 2026, Khartoum, Sudan – Impacted by the war in Sudan, Sennar Teaching Hospital did not have a fully operational intensive care unit (ICU), forcing critically ill patients had to be referred to other hospitals for intensive care and continuous monitoring. This was creating delays at a time when every minute can determine survival. With support from WHO through the Sudan Health Assistance and Response to Emergencies (SHARE) Project, funded by the World Bank Group and implemented by the Pan Health Care Organization (PANCARE), targeted interventions helped to bring the hospital’s ICU into operation. Critically ill patients can now receive essential care without any delay. Before the intervention, due to the impact of war, 5 patient monitors were out of service, oxygen supply was inadequate and there were gaps in infection prevention and control (IPC) systems and supplies. These gaps limited the hospital’s ability to safely manage patients with severe and life-threatening conditions. To address these immediate needs, WHO, through the SHARE project, restored 5 patient monitors, provided oxygen concentrators, strengthened IPC systems and supplies, and strengthened continuous on-site technical support and training. Together, these measures enabled the ICU to begin operating in March 2026, with a planned capacity of 9 beds, 5 of which are currently functional. Within its first month of operation, the ICU admitted 27 critically ill patients for treatment or stabilization, allowing many patients who previously would have required referral to receive critical care within Sennar Teaching Hospital. The ICU continues to admit patients, using its beds to capacity. “We are now able to manage critical cases that previously required referral. This support from WHO and PANCARE has been transformative for patient care and for widening the scope of services at Sennar Hospital, ” said Dr Omima Abdalla, ICU Director at Sennar Teaching Hospital. The intervention has also strengthened the hospital’s capacity to respond to medical emergencies by combining essential equipment with improvements in oxygen availability, IPC and the skills of health care workers. For Sennar Teaching Hospital, the transformation represents more than the restoration of equipment. It is the creation of a critical care service where none was previously functioning, restoring the capacity of the hospital and its health workers to respond to patients at their most “The experience of Sennar Teaching Hospital demonstrates how focused investments in essential hospital services can translate into tangible improvements in access to life-saving care. This is the rationale of the SHARE project, ” said Dr Naseeb Qirbi, SHARE Project Lead and WHO Senior Programme Management Officer. Sudan’s health system has been under immense pressure with the impact of the conflict that has been ongoing for more than 3 years. Currently, only 48% of health facilities in the 12 accessible states are fully functional, 15% are partially functional and 37% are non-functional. The situation is even more concerning in active conflict states, such as the Darfur and Kordofan regions, where up to 70–80% of health facilities are non-functional. Alongside the health emergency response, WHO is also working to rehabilitate and strengthen the health system. With funding from the World Bank Group, and through the SHARE Project, WHO and its implementing partners are currently supporting 10 hospitals in Sudan to restore essential services and strengthen the capacity of the health system to provide timely and quality services.

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