Health services for Sudanese refugees in Abéché, eastern Chad, have been suspended, the UNHCR confirmed on Monday.
Mohamed Al-Nour, the city’s refugee spokesperson, said that the suspension was due to funding shortages.
Until January, refugees received free care at Abéché’s main hospital, with serious cases referred to the national capital, N’Djamena.
Al-Nour said the pause in services is worsening the plight of refugees, many of whom now must pay out of pocket for essential treatment. Efforts by the Executive Office for Sudanese Refugees in Abéché to resolve the situation have so far failed.
Abéché is home to more than 11,000 Sudanese refugees, mostly fleeing violence in Darfur, while camps in Adré, Fershanna, and Marra shelter thousands more.
Across Chad, some 1.3 million Sudanese have sought refuge, part of 4.4 million displaced across neighbouring countries since the war began.
The sudden halt in medical support underscores the fragility of humanitarian aid in conflict zones and the growing strain on host communities.
Humanitarian agencies warn that without renewed funding, refugees’ access to healthcare—and their safety and dignity—could face severe threats in the coming months.
