Sudan: First Vaccine Shipment Arrives in South Kordofan in Nearly 3 Years

Khartoum – Sudanhorizon
Save the Children announced the arrival of the first vaccine shipment to South Kordofan State in nearly three years, heralding the resumption of life-saving immunization services for children and communities cut off from essential supplies due to the blockade imposed by the rebel Rapid Support Forces militia and its ally, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) led by Abdelaziz al-Hilu.
A press release published by the United Nations UN Relief- website today (Tuesday) stated that two trucks carrying 11 essential routine vaccines, produced by Save the Children, arrived in Kadugli, South Kordofan, over the weekend, totaling 18 metric tons of vaccines.
According to the statement, the shipment included the BCG vaccine (tuberculosis), the oral polio vaccine (OPV), and the pentavalent vaccine, which protects against five deadly childhood diseases: diphtheria, tetanus, and hepatitis B. The shipment also contained life-saving vaccines against rotavirus, pneumococcal disease, measles, meningococcal type A, inactivated polio vaccine (IPV), and yellow fever.
The organization noted that South Kordofan State had not received any vaccines since July 2023 due to the blockade, which prevented the delivery of medical and humanitarian supplies, leaving thousands of children unprotected from preventable diseases at a time when malnutrition and displacement were exacerbating their vulnerability.
Save the Children stated that this shipment represents a crucial step in stabilizing health services in the state. The shipment will support immunization campaigns in five areas, including Kadugli, where famine was confirmed in September 2025. It will also benefit families in the eastern rural areas of Dilling, Habila, and Al-Qaws, where more than 24,500 children are scheduled to receive routine vaccinations this year. Additionally, approximately 6,000 women will receive tetanus vaccinations.
The organization, funded by the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (Gavi), stated that it is working in collaboration with the Sudanese Ministry of Health, UNICEF, and Gavi partners to support immunization services at 38 fixed health centers, 52 outreach sites, and six mobile teams in South Kordofan.
Dr. Bashir Kamal El-Din, Health and Nutrition Director at Save the Children in Sudan, said, “These vaccines are among the simplest and most effective tools we have to prevent child mortality. This distribution of vaccines represents a significant achievement for thousands of children and their mothers who have suffered for months from food shortages and lack of access to basic healthcare, conditions that have put their lives at serious risk.”
The statement concluded by saying that Save the Children and its partners will continue working to strengthen routine immunization systems and identify children who missed vaccinations during the blockade, while advocating for continued humanitarian access and stability to ensure that children are never again cut off from life-saving care.

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