Sam Mednick
Associated Press
Published:
Sam Mednick
Associated Press
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved
A staffer checks the pharmacy shelves at a public health clinic in Qoz Nafisa village, Khartoum state, Sudan, Wednesday, April 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
QOZ NAFISA – It’s always been challenging for Abbas Awad to find medicines in his village outside Sudan ’s capital. But since the war in Iran, it’s become harder. Prices have spiked and many pharmacies in the area are out of stock.
The latest war in the Middle East has far-reaching effects, including on countries ravaged by conflicts of their own.
Recommended Videos
After three years of war in Sudan, a public health clinic in Qoz Nafisa village in Khartoum state is struggling to support thousands of people like the 61-year-old Awad.
He said he has been spacing out his medicine for glaucoma, worried he won’t be able to find more or afford it when he does. Money was already an issue because of the war at home, he said.
“Now we have the problem of the war in the Middle East. It’s just made things worse,” he said.
Aid groups say the Iran war has cut off vital shipping routes, upending their ability to get food and medicine to millions of people around the world in need. The standoff between the United States and Iran has essentially shut down the Strait of Hormuz, and other routes from strategic hubs such as Dubai also have been impacted.
Transport costs have spiked with higher fuel and insurance rates, further straining the ability to deliver supplies. The United Nations says there’s been up to a 20% cost increase on shipments, along with delays, as goods are rerouted.
The International Rescue Committee, which supports the clinic where Awad gets some of his medicines, said about $130,000 worth of pharmaceuticals intended for Sudan was stranded in Dubai for weeks and only now is making its way there.
The IRC says medicines and supplies such as antibiotics, painkillers and stethoscopes that were supposed to be flown from the United Arab Emirates to Port Sudan were instead transported by road to neighboring Oman and then flown out.
U.S. President Donald Trump this week extended the fragile ceasefire with Iran, but aid groups worry little will change.
“There’s still a real lag in the system. Shipments remain blocked or delayed, and that’s deeply worrying,” said Madiha Raza, associate director for global public affairs and communications for IRC.
Sudan has widely been described as facing the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, and Raza said any delay in delivering food, medicine and fuel has devastating consequences.
For the roughly 5,000 people who rely on the public health clinic that the IRC supports in Qoz Nafisa, some now must search at other clinics and spend their own money, which they often don’t have.
During a visit by AP journalists on Wednesday, clinic staff said that since the war with Iran began at the end of February they’ve been struggling to meet demand.
A member of the military media accompanied The Associated Press during the visit for safety reasons. The AP retains full editorial control of its content.
Dr. Amira Sidig, the center’s medical director, said the last shipment from the IRC was in December. Ones expected in February and April have not arrived.
Sudan’s health ministry tries to fill the gap, but it only accounts for half of what’s needed, Sidig said.
“It’s never enough because they also have a shortage, and we’re again out of stock quickly,” she said.
For several days this month, the clinic had no malaria treatment to give the 50% of patients who come in with the disease, Sidig said.
Ahmed Ibrahim, who works at the clinic, said patients are getting frustrated.
“When people come to the window, they say, ‘Why are you here and there is no medicine?’”
———- For more on Africa and development: https://apnews.com/hub/africa-pulse
The Associated Press receives financial support for global health and development coverage in Africa from the Gates Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
▶ 1:17
▶ 0:57
▶ 0:45
▶ 0:36
▶ 1:07
▶ 0:33
▶ 1:13
▶ 1:09
▶ 0:38
▶ 1:08
▶ 0:53
▶ 0:36
▶ 0:25
▶ 0:28
▶ 6:05
▶ 1:29
▶ 1:45
▶ 1:22
▶ 1:06
▶ 0:37
▶ 1:22
▶ 1:41
▶ 0:44
▶ 1:41
▶ 0:24
Email Newsletters
KSAT RSS Feeds
Contests and Rules
Contact Us
KSAT Internships
Careers at KSAT
Closed Captioning / Audio Description
Public File
Current EEO Report
Terms of Use
Privacy Policy
Do Not Sell My Info
FCC Applications
If you need help with the Public File, call (210) 351-1200
At KSAT, we are committed to informing and delighting our audience. In our commitment to covering our communities with innovation and excellence, we incorporate Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies to enhance our news gathering, reporting, and presentation processes. Read our article to see how we are using Artificial Intelligence.
Copyright © 2026 KSAT.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings.
Residents in rural Sudan say the Iran war has made it harder to get medicines – KSAT
Leave a Comment
