Khartoum power outages worsen health and business amid extreme heat

Prolonged electricity cuts in Sudan's capital Khartoum are lasting up to 48 hours, compounding the effects of soaring temperatures. Residents report spoiled food, loss of refrigerated medicines such as insulin, and difficulty keeping homes cool for ill family members. Clinics are forced to delay or suspend treatments because most medical equipment depends on a stable power supply, raising the risk of dehydration, heat exhaustion and heatstroke.

Local businesses are also hit hard. Merchants cite spoiled goods and the high cost of running fuel‑powered generators, while many consider solar systems too expensive to install. The Ministry of Energy and Petroleum says maintenance work has restored more than 260 megawatts to the grid, with a target of over 600 megawatts once rehabilitation projects are completed, but the immediate shortage continues to strain households and the economy.