KHARTOUM, July 26 (Xinhua) -- Sudan's Health Minister Haitham Mohamed Ibrahim said on Sunday that about 75 percent of the country's hospitals and primary healthcare facilities have resumed operations after extensive war damage, and 293 million U.S. dollars in international funding has been secured to support the sector's recovery.

Speaking at a press conference in Khartoum, Ibrahim said while wartime efforts focused on emergency care, the current phase marks a shift toward rebuilding the health system, particularly after the ministry's return to the capital.

He said the ministry is implementing a plan to restore and expand health services across the country, adding that a rebuilding initiative, dubbed the "Hope Strategy," with support from the World Health Organization, is set to be launched on Wednesday, aimed at strengthening primary and specialized healthcare services nationwide.

He also said the ministry has signed financing agreements worth more than 293 million dollars with international institutions and development banks, in addition to securing commitments of about 150 million dollars over the next three years.

The agreements include an 83-million-dollar project with the World Bank, two projects worth 70 million dollars with the African Development Bank, and a 140-million-dollar agreement with the Global Fund to support malaria and HIV/AIDS control programs, as well as immunization and vaccination systems, according to him.

Sudan's health sector has faced severe challenges since conflict erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in April 2023. Hundreds of health facilities have been damaged or closed, disrupting supply chains and increasing the risk of disease outbreaks, including cholera, measles, dengue fever, and malaria. ■