Zalingei: Saleh Haririn – The Minister of Health in the Civil Administration of the Rapid Support Forces in Central Darfur revealed on Monday that 25 health centers in the state are out of service due to the cessation of US aid.

US President Donald Trump has decided to end several aid programs, most of which are administered by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

“Foreign organizations working in the health sector have informed us that their services in at least 25 health centers in the city of Zalingei have stopped due to the cessation of US aid,” Central Darfur’s Minister of Health, Mohamed al-Amin Rizkallah, told Rhino. He warned of the danger of the continued deterioration of health and treatment services.

On February 24, the World Health Organization (WHO) said that the US funding freeze has affected 335 health facilities, including 57 in the Darfur region. Darfur bears a disproportionate burden in the health response due to the increase in displaced people and affected communities, with health facilities facing severe shortages of supplies, equipment and staff.

Darfur’s limited access to clean water exacerbates health risks and increases the likelihood of disease outbreaks, while the absence of laboratory services hampers diagnostic capabilities.