In a strategic effort to curb the devastating spread of the world’s deadliest infectious disease, the Global Fund has approved US$1.6 million in emergency funding for Sudan. This critical intervention comes at a time when the country is grappling with a severe humanitarian crisis, hosting the highest number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) globally.
Operating through December 31, 2026, the fund aims to provide urgent tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis and treatment for Sudan’s 11.75 million IDPs and their host communities. The conflict that erupted in 2023 has caused a total collapse of health infrastructure and widespread malnutrition, turning overcrowded displacement camps into high-risk environments for the rapid transmission of TB.
According to the Global Fund’s statement, this emergency response will be implemented through a partnership between the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Sudanese Federal Ministry of Health.
The program focuses on 10 relatively “stable” states—including Khartoum, Red Sea, and Al Jazirah—which have absorbed a massive influx of people fleeing violence in the Darfur and Kordofan regions. Mark Edington, Head of Grant Management at the Global Fund, emphasized that ensuring rapid access to TB care for conflict-devastated communities is central to their mission.
He noted that since one untreated TB patient can infect 15 to 20 people per year, prioritizing the continuity of medical services is essential to protect the most vulnerable populations.
The strategy focuses on delivering services outside of traditional, damaged clinic models through mobile health units and rapid testing. Key activities include deploying mobile teams to reach displacement camps directly, procuring advanced GeneXpert cartridges for precise and fast diagnosis, and ensuring a steady supply of first- and second-line TB medications to prevent the emergence of drug-resistant strains.
As of early 2026, reports indicate that nearly 33.7 million people in Sudan require humanitarian assistance. With only 16% of the 2026 Sudan humanitarian appeal funded so far, the Global Fund’s contribution serves as a vital lifeline. Since 2014, the Global Fund has provided over US$149 million worldwide to ensure that conflicts and environmental crises do not reverse hard-won progress in the fight against HIV, TB, and malaria.
