WHO Appeals for US$25.4 Million to Respond to Escalating Health Emergency in the Greater Horn of Africa
The World Health Organization (WHO) has appealed for US$25.4 million to sustain life-saving health interventions across six countries in the Greater Horn of Africa as conflict, food insecurity, disease outbreaks, and climate shocks continue to drive a worsening humanitarian crisis.
The funding request will support emergency operations from July to December 2026 in Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, and Sudan, following a regional assessment that identified mounting health and nutrition needs across the region.
According to WHO, more than 37.8 million people are experiencing or are projected to experience acute food insecurity across the six countries.The crisis is also taking a devastating toll on children, with more than 4.9 million expected to suffer from severe acute malnutrition (SAM). Of these, around 1.5 million children require urgent therapeutic treatment for severe wasting.
WHO warned that the humanitarian situation is expected to deteriorate further unless additional resources are mobilized quickly.
Sudan remains the hardest-hit country in the region, where ongoing conflict has displaced millions of people and severely damaged the country’s health system.
WHO estimates that 19.1 million people are facing acute food insecurity, while more than 824,000 children are suffering from severe acute malnutrition, including approximately 122,700 with life-threatening medical complications.
In South Sudan, conflict, displacement, and recurrent flooding continue to worsen food insecurity and humanitarian needs.An estimated 7.8 million people—about 55 percent of the population— are experiencing severe food insecurity, with pockets of IPC Phase 5 (Famine) reported in some areas.
Nearly 697,000 children are projected to suffer from severe acute malnutrition, placing additional pressure on an already fragile health system.
Somalia continues to grapple with prolonged drought, large-scale displacement, and food shortages. Around 6.6 million people face acute food insecurity, while more than 500,000 people remain internally displaced.In Kenya, approximately 4.1 million people are affected by severe food insecurity, with critical malnutrition hotspots reported in Mandera and Turkana counties.Djibouti is also facing growing humanitarian pressures. WHO estimates that 230,000 people, representing 22 percent of the country’s population, are experiencing acute food insecurity due to prolonged drought, dependence on food imports, and increasing cross-border migration.
The regional emergency is being compounded by simultaneous outbreaks of cholera, acute watery diarrhoea, measles, malaria, dengue fever, and mpox.
WHO said overcrowded displacement camps, limited access to clean water, poor sanitation, and low vaccination coverage are accelerating disease transmission across affected communities.
WHO warned that the emergency response continues to face significant operational challenges, including:Severe funding shortages affecting the delivery of essential health services.Limited or damaged nutrition stabilization centres in high-risk areas.Shortages of medicines, medical supplies, and qualified health workers.Rising transport and fuel costs that are disrupting humanitarian logistics.
The US$25.4 million appeal will support five key areas:US$9.7 million for essential health and nutrition services, including stabilization centres and health worker capacity building.US$5 million for disease surveillance, the Early Warning, Alert and Response System (EWARS), and outbreak response.
US$4.7 million for emergency supplies, logistics, and operational support.US$3.5 million for emergency coordination and technical leadership at headquarters and regional offices.US$2.5 million for cross-cutting functions, including information management, risk communication and community engagement (RCCE), prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEAH), and monitoring and evaluation.
WHO warned that without immediate international support, preventable deaths among children, pregnant women, and displaced populations are likely to increase significantly across the Greater Horn of Africa in the coming months.
