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Health and Nutrition Services in Sudan: A Situational Analysis of South and East Darfur States (2023–2024)
Geoffrey Babughirana1*, Victor Onama1, Maria Reginah Namutebi1
1World Vision international, Sudan office, Sudan
Corresponding Author: Geoffrey Babughirana
Address: World Vision Sudan, Transit, Red Sea, Port Sudan, SD.
Received date: 28 November 2025; Accepted date: 25 February 2026; Published date: 05 March 2026
Citation: Babughirana G, Onama V, Namutebi MR. Health and Nutrition Services in Sudan: A Situational Analysis of South and East Darfur States (2023–2024). J Health Care and Research. 2026 Mar 05;7(1):01-14.
Copyright © 2026 Babughirana G, Onama V, Namutebi MR. This is an open-access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium provided the original work is properly cited.
Keywords: Healthcare, Newborn, Breastfeeding, Vaccination, Malnutrition, Stunting
Abstract
Background: This study assessed the health and nutritional services available to households in South and East Darfur States, with a focus on maternal and newborn child health services, infant and young child feeding practices, and overall nutritional status.
Methods: A cross-sectional quantitative approach was utilized for data collection, including household surveys. A total of 1,285 households participated in the study, and a nutrition assessment was conducted on 1,374 children aged 6–59 months.
Results: Access to healthcare services remains a significant challenge in South and East Darfur, where over 80.0% (80.9% SD, 80.9% ED) of households reported difficulties in obtaining the necessary healthcare services. Statistics revealed that only 25.2% (28.4% SD, 21.9% ED) gave birth at a health facility, highlighting the challenging maternal healthcare gaps. Vaccination rates also demonstrate disparities; while BCG coverage reached 59.4% (44.1% SD, 74.6% ED), polio dose O at birth vaccination coverage stood at 65.6% (52.5% SD, 78.6% ED). Childhood illness management through Integrated Community Case Management (iCCM) revealed alarming prevalence rates of malaria (43.9% [48.9% SD, 38.9% ED]), while 39.1% (49.8% SD, 28.3% ED) had ARI, with only 53.3% (63.0% SD, 43.6% ED) able to seek and access proper treatment/management. Furthermore, malnutrition rates were critical, with Global Acute Malnutrition at 19.9% in South Darfur and 15.5% in East Darfur. Stunting was prevalent in 36.6% of children aged 6–59 months in South Darfur, emphasizing the dire health and nutrition situation.
Conclusions: Overall, the findings underscore the urgent need for targeted interventions to improve access to healthcare services, address healthcare-seeking behaviors, and enhance nutrition practices and service delivery in South and East Darfur. Efforts should be made to strengthen nutrition programs and support caregivers in promoting optimal health and nutrition for their children.