Exploring the post-conflict reconstruction of an effective health system in Sudan

Abstract

The study examines the Republic of Sudan’s national health system during the 2019 transitional period to generate recommendations for the post-conflict era, focusing on leadership and governance, financing, and health workforce. The study is exploratory qualitative research that collected primary data through semi-structured in-depth interviews with previous and current key stakeholders in the health system. The results indicate that political instability and in-fighting during the transitional period significantly influenced all of the health system building blocks. Healthcare financing was characterized by inefficient use of resources which was linked to the limited capacity of national systems. Additionally, the system failed to adequately retain essential workforce and massive brain drain was underway. The recommendations for leadership and governance focused on strengthening coordination and ensuring peace and political stability. For financing, it highlighted the need to adopt sustainable financing modalities, and finally for Human Resources for Health (HRH) it was deemed imperative to provide a holistic incentives package. In the end the current collapse of Sudan’s health system on many fronts and the extent of destruction necessitate starting to explore salvaging what remains functioning and planning ahead for the rehabilitation and reconstruction to provide the essential and basic needs.