By Alan Clement
Health services in Renk County, Upper Nile State, are buckling under the weight of a deepening crisis. A relentless influx of refugees from Sudan, a surging disease burden, and rising child malnutrition are stretching the region’s limited medical capacity to its breaking point.
In a statement released this week, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) warned that Renk has become a critical humanitarian pressure point. Thousands of refugees and returnees fleeing violence in neighboring Sudan now depend on a healthcare system already pushed beyond its limits.
The scale of the crisis is evidenced by MSF’s 2025 data. Throughout the year, the organization provided 72,292 outpatient consultations in Renk County. Of these, consultations were for children under five and 641 children were treated for severe acute malnutrition.
These figures underscore the worsening food insecurity and public health risks plaguing the border region. “Renk continues to shoulder a disproportionate humanitarian burden due to its location along the Sudan–South Sudan border,” MSF stated, noting that the county must support refugees, returnees, and vulnerable host communities simultaneously.
The situation is being exacerbated by renewed fighting in Sudan’s Blue Nile State, which has intensified migration into South Sudan. As a primary entry point, Renk has repeatedly absorbed sudden waves of displaced civilians over the past two years.
To combat the lack of formal infrastructure, MSF currently operates mobile clinics across the county. These teams deliver primary healthcare to remote and overcrowded settlements where disease outbreaks are common and medical access is otherwise non-existent.
Beyond mobile outreach, MSF is working directly with South Sudan’s Ministry of Health. This partnership supports essential services at Renk Civil Hospital, including, Paediatrics, Maternity wards, Operating theatre and Blood Bank and Support for the Gosfami Primary Health Care Centre.
In addition to medical care, MSF is racing to improve access to safe drinking water in crowded camps, noting that the lack of sanitation significantly heightens the risk of disease for pregnant women and children.
The outlook remains grim. MSF cautioned that without sustained humanitarian funding and improved access, the situation in Renk will likely deteriorate as regional instability continues.
As South Sudan grapples with economic hardship and climate shocks, aid agencies emphasize that border counties like Renk remain on the frontlines of a multi-layered crisis. The situation demands a coordinated, long-term response to prevent a total collapse of local services.