UN: Sudan’s health supply shortage exacerbated by crisis

The United Nations says Sudan is facing shortages of medicine and health supplies because of its ongoing economic crisis, which has been exacerbated by recent political upheaval.

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Tuesday the World Health Organization and the U.N. children’s agency, UNICEF, are beefing up supplies and assistance to the vast western Darfur region.

The agencies are supplying medicine, nutrition aid and trauma kits to health authorities in East Darfur, he said.

WHO is supplying health kits to some partner agencies in North Darfur to help 150,000 patients over the next three months, and is helping to run the Kebkabiya rural hospital, Dujarric said. WHO will also support four additional facilities in El Fasher and Kutum localities until the end of September, he said.