Sudanese Refugees’ Lives at Risk as UNHCR Suspends Medical Help

Facing a severe funding shortfall, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has suspended critical medical services for refugees in Egypt, limiting treatment to emergency procedures only. Making surgeries for cancer and heart conditions, chemotherapy, and medications for chronic illnesses such as diabetes and hypertension no longer available through UNHCR support.   The decision has left an estimated 20,000 refugees, many of whom fled the ongoing conflict in Sudan, without access to essential healthcare. Unable to afford Egypt’s public healthcare fees, these refugees are left with limited options, raising concerns over deteriorating health conditions and preventable deaths.   “The consequences for people who will no longer get our support are hard to measure,” Jakob Arhem, a Public Health Officer with UNHCR in Cairo, said, noting that many refugees may not be able to afford other healthcare alternatives. “Many of them will get sicker, weaker—and many will die”.   Since hostilities erupted in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, the conflict has driven more than 1.5 million people across the country’s borders. Egypt has absorbed the largest share of those fleeing the violence,…

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