Sudan launches health campaign as Dengue fever and measles spread
February 24, 2026 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s Ministry of Health on Tuesday announced the launch of a major campaign to combat Dengue fever in Khartoum and Northern state, as the country struggles with a surge in epidemic diseases.
The move comes as a collapsing healthcare system and mass displacement fuel outbreaks across the nation.
Multiple regions are currently grappling with Dengue, malaria, hepatitis E, measles and meningitis. Health officials linked the spread of these illnesses to severe deterioration in sanitation services, poor environmental health, and acute water shortages.
The ongoing conflict has exacerbated these conditions, forcing millions to live in overcrowded displacement camps with limited access to basic hygiene.
The ministry’s Emergency Operations Centre said in a statement that the anti-Dengue initiative in Khartoum is receiving federal government support. Efforts in Northern state are being bolstered by community-led initiatives.
While the rate of infection has slowed in some provinces, the centre noted that Dengue cases remain persistent in Khartoum and River Nile state.
In the Northern state, where new infections have surfaced, authorities have activated emergency rooms. They have also dispatched a federal response team alongside medical supplies and diagnostic kits.
The epidemiological crisis extends beyond Dengue. Gezira state continues to record cases of Hepatitis E, a waterborne viral infection.
Measles infections have been reported in White Nile and North Darfur. Cases of meningitis have also been detected in both Gezira and Khartoum.
Health authorities are attempting to maintain vector control measures, including monitoring chlorine levels in water networks. They are also conducting health screenings for displaced persons and returnees.
The centre reported that the availability of medicines for epidemic diseases varies significantly between states due to disrupted supply chains. However, there has been a marginal improvement in the availability of malaria treatments compared to the previous week.
The total number of confirmed measles and rubella cases has risen to 839. A high concentration of infections is in the Tawila locality of North Darfur.
Tawila has recently emerged as one of the region’s largest displacement hubs, hosting more than 715,000 people who fled violence in El Fasher.
In Northern state, local health officials reported nine new Dengue cases on Tuesday. This brings the cumulative total in the Al-Gureiba area of Merowe to 96, with no deaths reported in the state to date.
Local authorities are coordinating home inspections and public awareness campaigns in mosques and communal gathering places to limit further transmission.
Dengue fever is a viral infection transmitted to humans through the bite of infected Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. It spreads rapidly in tropical and subtropical climates, where standing water provides breeding grounds for vectors.
Patients typically suffer from high fever, severe muscle and joint pain, vomiting and exhaustion. In its most severe form, the disease can lead to respiratory distress, internal bleeding and a dangerous drop in blood pressure.
The health ministry’s efforts come as the international community warns of a total collapse of public health in Sudan.
The United Nations recently noted that more than half of the population in some Darfur displacement sites are not receiving the minimum daily water requirement for survival.
The 2026 Humanitarian Response Plan for Sudan requires $2.9 billion to reach more than 20 million people. Funding remains critically low as the dual threats of violence and disease intensify.