USAID's COVID-19 Response in Sudan

Through USAID, the United States Government is saving lives by helping prevent the spread of COVID-19 and mitigating its harmful effects. USAID has provided more than $98 million in COVID-19 supplemental support to Sudan to address the most urgent vaccine delivery and country readiness needs, and is supporting continued efforts to mitigate the transmission of COVID-19 and reduce related morbidity and mortality in Sudan. 

“USAID/Sudan is committed to building back a better world, one that is better prepared to prevent, detect, and respond to future biological threats, and where all people can live safe, prosperous, and healthy lives.”—USAID Mission Director Mervyn Farroe

SAFE AND EFFECTIVE VACCINATIONS 

• Through COVAX, a worldwide initiative established to achieve equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines, the U.S. Government has donated over 1.2 million doses of vaccine (as of February 2022).
• To support vaccine rollout in Sudan, USAID is funding experienced technical experts at the state level who support microplanning, coordination, and data analysis. 
• USAID is also supporting operational costs of vaccination campaigns, integration of vaccination in existing health services, and expansion of service sites.

OTHER ACTIVITIES IN RESPONSE TO COVID-19 

• Public Information:  To provide reliable public health information to the Sudanese public and prevent spread of the virus, USAID supports risk communication and community engagement in areas with sudden increases of COVID-19 cases and newly emerging hotspots through appropriate messaging and communication products and communication campaigns. This effort has reached more than 21 million people with COVID-19 prevention messages.
• Disease Surveillance:  USAID support is enhancing COVID-19 surveillance in states with increasing case numbers through capacity building and technical expertise and supporting alert investigations in at-risk areas.  USAID is also supporting screening and triage protocols at all points of access to health care services, including primary health centers, clinics, hospital emergency units, and ad hoc community settings.
• Testing:  USAID has funded procurement of COVID-19 tests and provided equipment for Sudan’s national public health laboratory and designated regional laboratories to rapidly scale up testing capabilities.
• Infection Prevention and Control:  USAID support is strengthening infection prevention and control measures in isolation centers, hospitals, and primary health care centers in areas of high community transmission to mitigate health care worker and health facility infection, including training and mentoring of staff in control measures, ensuring availability of standard operating procedures and other key documents and communications materials, and revising policies on visitors.
• Clinical Management:  USAID support is strengthening clinical management of COVID-19, including through training for designated staff, and ensuring standard operating procedures and other key documents and clinical guidance is available.
• Emergency Food Assistance:  USAID’s COVID-19 response provided food assistance to more than 407,000 vulnerable people across North Darfur as the pandemic exacerbated food insecurity. Countrywide, USAID-supported emergency food assistance reached 3.6 million people experiencing acute food insecurity due to the socioeconomic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. 
• Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene:  USAID support is providing emergency water, sanitation, and hygiene assistance to prevent COVID-19 transmission in vulnerable communities, particularly among internally displaced persons.
• Cash Distribution:  USAID has provided cash assistance to more than 94,000 beneficiaries since October 2020 through the Sudan Family Support Program and more than 250,000 food baskets to vulnerable urban families who struggled to afford food due to economic hardship, exacerbated by COVID-19.