Rebuilding Sudan’s health system through digital innovations

The ongoing conflict in Sudan has crippled the health system, leaving millions of children and families without access to essential services. More than 70 per cent of health facilities are non-functional, medicine supplies have been disrupted, and entire communities in conflict zones are cut off.

To respond to these challenges, UNICEF in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Health, and WHO under the Sudan Health Assistance and Response to Emergencies (SHARE) project funded by the World Bank- has launched three digital health innovations to rebuild and strengthen Sudan’s health system. From real-time and remote patient consultations and medicine subscriptions, to outbreaks response and frontline worker training, these tools offer a glimmer of hope.

The digital health solutions, which will be rolled out across all 18 states, are designed to:

• Improve the quality of healthcare services and facilitate access especially for the most marginalized communities far from fixed health facilities and those trapped in conflict areas.
• Empower frontline workers to reach children and their families even in the remotest places.
• Build a more resilient and sustainable health system.

In a country focused on restoring health services, deploying digital innovations will support continuous professional development for frontline workers, enable remote consultations and patients’ interactions, and improve coordination and governance- revitalization health systems and easing access to services for women and children.

Improving access to health care will also help rebuild public confidence in a system that currently leaves many underserved, especially in conflict-affected areas.

“We welcome this partnership and the deployment of these technologies. They are essential to strengthening our health system, supporting our frontline workers, and ensuring that no child is left behind,” said Dr. Heitham M Awadalla, Federal Minister of Health.

The digital health solutions

Care Connect

A communication platform to improve coordination between healthcare workers – the backbone of the health system- and the Ministry of Health leadership. By improving governance, engagement, and efficiency, Care Connect l builds a more responsive health system that benefits women and children through better service delivery. 

IConnect

For families unable to access health facilities, IConnect will provide telehealth consultations through voice, video, and text messages, along with medication and laboratory test requests supported by electronic medical records. It removes physical barriers to healthcare access, enabling early diagnosis and treatment, especially for women and children in remote areas, while providing health workers with real-time feedback to improve quality of care. 

ZAMW

Continuous training for health workers is central to improving service quality. ZAMW, an AI-powered mobile app, supports frontline workers with continuous learning through interactive learning tools like video lessons, quizzes, and educational games aligned with evolving treatment guidelines. This enhances patient outcomes while ensuring health workers are well-equipped to respond to community health needs.

Rollout and impact 

The launch and subsequent roll-out of the digital solutions follows a successful pilot phase that reached over 5,000 health workers in five primary health care facilities and a referral hospital. The innovations will now be deployed in over 400 health facilities, supporting over 3,000 health workers and reaching nearly 500,000 children directly or indirectly across Sudan. 

The benefits are visible. 

“Using IConnect is straight forward. I now can send test results and follow up with the doctors regularly. It saves time and enables us serve people faster and more efficiently with less effort,” Haider, a nurse.

“This is the first time that we feel connected as health workers,” Sitna, a general practitioner. “Through Care Connect we share information and experiences with our colleagues in other states.” 

“The videos on the ZAMW platform explain concepts in a simplified way and in our local dialect. This has boosted my confidence especially during this emergency,” Tasneem, a medical doctor.

Speaking at the launch event, the UNICEF Representative Sheldon Yett said – 

“The health system in Sudan is facing immense challenges.” 

“Many hospitals and clinics are no longer operational, and health workers are doing their best under incredibly difficult conditions.”

“The three digital tools being introduced are practical, scalable solutions that respond directly to the needs of health workers and communities.”

By investing in digital health innovative solutions, UNICEF is not only strengthening Sudan’s healthcare systems but also improving quality and access to healthcare especially for the most disadvantaged and ensuring better health outcomes for millions of children in Sudan, amidst the conflict.