Central African Republic: humanitarian Situation and Health Crisis – December 2025
Table of Contents
The Central African Republic (CAR) continues to face a complex humanitarian crisis marked by ongoing conflict, displacement, and a deteriorating health situation. As of late 2025, the country hosts a important refugee population, grapples with internal displacement driven by escalating violence and natural disasters, and contends with widespread disease outbreaks amidst a severely strained healthcare system. This report provides an overview of the current situation, drawing on the latest available facts.
Displacement and refugee Influx
CAR currently hosts 62,602 refugees and asylum seekers, primarily from sudan, the democratic Republic of Congo, Chad, South Sudan, and Rwanda. The ongoing conflict in Sudan, which began in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has triggered a ample influx of refugees into CAR. As of September 30, 2025, over 45,481 Sudanese refugees have arrived, with women and children comprising 84% of the new arrivals. https://www.unhcr.org/central-african-republic.html
Internally, 442,320 people are currently displaced (IDPs). While this represents a decrease compared to the previous year, displacement trends are worryingly on the rise during the first half of 2025. This increase is linked to conflicts between armed groups in the South-East, persistent sporadic violence in the Nord-West region, and recurrent flooding events.These factors contribute to instability and exacerbate the humanitarian needs of vulnerable populations. Tensions related to cross-border transhumance movements, leading to clashes with local communities, further complicate the security landscape.
Deteriorating Health Situation
The epidemiological profile of CAR is characterized by a high prevalence of vaccine-preventable and communicable diseases, alongside a growing burden of non-communicable diseases.Throughout 2025, the country has experienced outbreaks of measles, pertussis (whooping cough), meningitis, rabies, Mpox (formerly monkeypox), and vaccine-derived poliomyelitis. https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news
The risk of a cholera outbreak remains high, despite the last confirmed case being in 2016-2017. All six neighboring countries are currently experiencing cholera epidemics, and ongoing trade and population movements increase the likelihood of cross-border transmission.
The CAR healthcare system is critically under-resourced. As of 2025, the country has 1014 health facilities, but only 39.8% are fully operational, according to the Health Resources and Mapping System (HeRAMS).https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/themes/health-systems/health-facilities-and-workforce This limited capacity leads to increased competition for access to already fragile and overstretched healthcare services, particularly for displaced populations and refugees.
Key Challenges and Future Outlook
The humanitarian situation in CAR is deeply concerning. The convergence of conflict, displacement, and disease outbreaks poses a significant threat to the well-being of the population. Key challenges include:
* Security instability: Ongoing conflicts and the presence of armed groups hinder humanitarian access and exacerbate displacement.
* Healthcare System Weakness: A severely under-resourced and understaffed healthcare system struggles to meet the needs of the population, particularly in the face of outbreaks.
* Funding gaps: Insufficient funding limits the ability of humanitarian organizations to provide adequate assistance.
* climate Change impacts: Recurrent flooding events contribute to displacement and increase the risk of waterborne diseases.
Looking ahead, sustained international support is crucial to address the multifaceted challenges facing CAR. Strengthening the healthcare system, promoting peace and security, and addressing the root causes of displacement are essential steps towards building a more stable and resilient future for the country. Continued monitoring of disease outbreaks and proactive vaccination campaigns are vital to prevent further health crises.
Key Takeaways:
* CAR hosts over 62,000 refugees and 442,000 internally displaced persons.
* the influx of Sudanese refugees is placing additional strain on resources.
* Multiple disease outbreaks are occurring simultaneously, overwhelming the fragile healthcare system.
* Less than 40% of health facilities are fully operational.
* Continued international assistance is critical to address the humanitarian crisis.