Middle East War Disrupts Medical Supplies to Sudan

Disruptions linked to the expanding U.S.-Israeli war on Iran are threatening to cut off critical medical supplies to Sudan, placing tens of thousands of vulnerable patients at risk.

Save the Children warned that essential medicines could run out within two weeks unless shipments are rerouted. The organization said approximately $600,000 worth of supplies are currently stranded in ports in Dubai due to disrupted shipping routes and airspace closures tied to the conflict.

Around 90 government-run clinics in Sudan, serving roughly 400,000 patients, depend on these supplies. According to Willem Zuidema, the charity’s global director of supply chain safety, there are no viable in-country alternatives for medicines, vaccines or nutritional treatments.

“We have a couple of weeks to do this rerouting before the country’s stocks run out. The clock is ticking,” Zuidema said, emphasizing the urgency of the situation.

The crisis stems from broader disruptions in global logistics, particularly the halt of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime chokepoint. Supplies destined for Sudan typically pass through Port Sudan before being transported by road to regions including Darfur.

The interruption of these routes has delayed shipments of antibiotics, antimalarial drugs, pain and fever medications and pediatric injectable treatments. These are essential for maintaining basic healthcare services in a country already strained by conflict.

UN aid chief Tom Fletcher said the Middle East conflict is placing pressure on humanitarian supply chains globally, with sub-Saharan Africa among the most affected regions.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has also warned of intensifying shortages. Regional director Hanan Balkhy said there is “a huge crunch in Sudan,” highlighting growing difficulties in delivering medical commodities to certain provinces.

Without immediate intervention, the depletion of buffer stocks could leave patients without access to basic healthcare services. Aid agencies warn that once these stocks are exhausted, recovery will be difficult given current logistical constraints.

Sudan’s internal conflict, now in its third year, has already displaced millions and created one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises, increasing reliance on external aid.

The disruption is compounded by rising transport costs and declining donor funding. Container freight rates have increased by approximately 25-30% as shipping companies reroute vessels around the Cape of Good Hope, adding weeks to delivery times.

Zuidema said the current disruption could exceed the impact seen during the early stages of the Ukraine war and the COVID-19 pandemic, due to reduced system buffers following aid cuts.

Save the Children’s Sudan budget has been reduced by $4 million to $98 million, further limiting its ability to respond. “Demand will go up, but the means for us to respond … will go down,” Zuidema said.