Sudan war disrupts insulin supplies, fuels dangerous drug smuggling

Over three years of civil war in Sudan has devastated the healthcare system, shutting hospitals, pharmaceutical factories, and disrupting medical supply chains across the country. Diabetic patients like Murtada Mohieddin struggle to find insulin, often uncertain whether supplies are expired or spoiled from poor storage conditions. With 40% of health facilities nationwide non-operational and domestic pharmaceutical production paralyzed, unregulated smuggled medicines known as "Boko" drugs have flooded the market. These illicit medications, particularly intravenous malaria treatments, bypass quality checks and temperature controls, making them ineffective or potentially lethal when administered to patients.