The ongoing conflict in Sudan has resulted in over 20,000 deaths and created the world's largest displacement crisis. The war, marked by severe human rights abuses and compounded by recent floods and a cholera outbreak, has devastated the country’s infrastructure and health system. The World Health Organization calls for immediate international aid and a cease-fire.

According to a senior United Nations official, the ongoing conflict in Sudan, which has raged for over 16 months, has resulted in more than 20,000 deaths. This figure was reported by Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Director-General of the World Health Organization, during a news conference held in Port Sudan on Sunday. Port Sudan is currently the hub of the internationally recognized, military-backed government. Tedros indicated that the actual death toll might be significantly higher.

Tedros described the situation in Sudan as a "perfect storm of crisis" and expressed alarm at both the scale of the emergency and the inadequate response to the conflict. He concluded a two-day visit to the country, during which he highlighted the severe nature of the crisis.

The conflict began in April of the previous year, triggered by escalating tensions between the military and the powerful paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces. This confrontation has transformed Khartoum, the capital, and other urban areas into battlegrounds, severely damaging civilian infrastructure and a health care system that was already struggling. Many hospitals and medical facilities have had to close due to the lack of resources.

The war has also resulted in the largest displacement crisis in the world. According to the International Organization for Migration, over 13 million people have been forced to flee their homes since the fighting started, including more than 2.3 million who have sought refuge in neighboring countries.

The conflict has been characterized by severe human rights abuses, including mass rape and ethnically motivated killings, which have been described as war crimes and crimes against humanity by the U.N. and various international rights organizations. On Friday, U.N.-backed human rights investigators called for the establishment of an “independent and impartial force” to safeguard civilians, attributing war crimes, including murder, mutilation, and torture, to both sides of the conflict.

In addition to the ongoing violence, recent seasonal floods have exacerbated the crisis, causing widespread destruction. According to local authorities, dozens of people have been killed and critical infrastructure has been destroyed in 12 of Sudan's 18 provinces.

A cholera outbreak has further worsened the situation. The health ministry reported that the disease has resulted in at least 165 deaths and infected approximately 4,200 people in recent weeks.

Tedros urged the international community to urgently assist Sudan, emphasizing the need for an immediate cease-fire. "The best medicine is peace," he stated.