Sudan

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Explorer les options publiques de protection sociale en santé pour les réfugiés. Afrique de l'Ouest et du Centre

Exploring public options of social health protection for refugees. West and Central Africa

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Situation and Priorities

Social protection situation

Currently, social insurance covers the full range of pensions and work injury, however, coverage is limited to the formal economy, with informal employment estimated at 87% in 2011. The National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) was launched in 1995 intending to achieve universal coverage. Presently, through the combination of contributory and non-contributory pillars, it covers an estimated 83% of the population, however the bast majority of them being enrolled as non-contributing beneficiaries. Effective coverage is and benefit is very limited as well.

The National Pension and Social Insurance Fund, covering old-age, disability and survivors, sickness and maternity, and work injury, covers only 9% of the country’s labor force, with an over representation of male workers.

Social assistance and non-contributory programmes are the Strategic Cash Transfer, the Shamel Livelihood pillar and the Zakat fund, being the most relevant of them all i, providing a range of benefits for 1.9 million households (2014).

COVID-19 and other crises

The implementation of the new cash transfer scheme mentioned above was brought forward due to COVID-19, as fuel subsidies were progressively withdrawn. Other measures included delivering 600,000 families food baskets containing 11 essential food and household items, and the government providing paid leave to public sector workers over the age of 55 and pregnant women.

The democratic transition in Sudan that started in 2019, created an opening to develop a social protection system that worked for all Sudanese residents. However, after the military takeover of October 25th, 2021 most progress has come to a halt but it’s expected to resume shortly as talks for a new transitional agreement are underway

Visit the Social Protection COVID-19 Monitor

Government and social partner priorities

Develop a national social protection policy and strategy.
Improve the management information systems of the pension fund and the health insurance fund, as well as those of the Ministries of Labour & Social Development and the Ministry of Finance, in order to maximize the inter-operability between the different institutions.
Expand health coverage to the informal economy