Sudan’s Children Trapped in Critical Malnutrition Crisis: UN

Women and children wait outside the MSF clinic in Zamzam camp, where a malnutrition crisis is causing an estimated one child to die every two hours. Sudan, 30 January 2024.

May 30, 2024 (NEW YORK) – The lives of Sudan’s children are at stake and urgent action is needed to protect an entire generation from malnutrition, disease and death, three United Nations agencies warned on Thursday.

All indications, the agencies said in a statement, point to a significant deterioration of the nutrition situation for children and mothers in war-torn Sudan.

A recent analysis conducted by the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), UN World Food Programme (WFP) and World Health Organization (WHO) highlights that the ongoing hostilities are worsening the drivers of child malnutrition.

These, it noted, include a lack of access to nutritious food, safe drinking water and sanitation, and increased risk of disease. The situation is compounded by massive population displacement; as large numbers of people flee the conflict.

“The lives of Sudan’s children are at stake and urgent action is needed to protect an entire generation from malnutrition, disease and death,” reads the statement.

Over 8.8 million people fled their homes since war broke out in Sudan in 2023.

Access to food remains the priority need of the displaced followed by healthcare, water, and sanitation services, particularly across Darfur and Kordofan regions.

“The ongoing hostilities are worsening the drivers of child malnutrition,” the agencies warned, further adding that “These include a lack of access to nutritious food, safe drinking water and sanitation, and increased risk of disease”.

Sudan is facing an ever-increasing risk of conflict-induced famine that will have catastrophic consequences including the loss of life, especially among young children.”

The agencies said the conflict “is also severely impacting the delivery of humanitarian supplies, leaving countless women and children without access to vital food and nutritional support… (while) growing violence and bureaucratic procedures impede access to conflict affected areas”.

The year-long war is also severely impacting the delivery of humanitarian supplies, leaving countless women and children without access to vital food and nutritional support. The agencies have been struggling to deliver nutrition products as growing violence and bureaucratic procedures impede access to conflict affected areas.

In Central Darfur, acute malnutrition is estimated to be at 15.6 percent among children under 5, while in ZamZam camp it’s close to 30%. The situation has deteriorated over recent months, with no sign of abating due to continued conflict and severely hindered humanitarian access.

Levels of malnutrition are particularly worrying among pregnant and breastfeeding mothers. For example, screening carried out last month by Medecins Sans Frontieres in ZamZam camp, North Darfur, found over 33 percent of pregnant and breastfeeding women are malnourished, indicating that they are likely sacrificing their own needs to feed their children.

This situation poses an incredible risk not only for the health of mothers, but also for the next generation of Sudan’s children. As much as 30 percent of child malnutrition begins in utero, so children born to malnourished mothers are likely to be already malnourished themselves.

“Children in Sudan are experiencing horrific violence, displacement and trauma – and now they are confronted with potential famine,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell.

“When children suffer from serious forms of malnutrition, it harms their physical and cognitive development and can leave life-long damage. Parties to the conflict must urgently allow humanitarian access so children can receive food, water, medical care and shelter. But most of all, children need peace.”

“Mothers and children across Sudan are wasting away from malnutrition. The ongoing war has stripped them of everything they need to survive – food, medical support and shelter. We need immediate and safe access to deliver the humanitarian assistance that they so desperately need. Without it, this crisis risks becoming the world’s largest hunger emergency”, said WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain.

She added “Millions of lives are at stake and the international community must act now or we risk losing an entire generation of children.”

“Malnutrition is not a one-time crisis. Malnourished children face a lifetime of developmental challenges and ill-health and are also more likely to die from infectious diseases”, said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

He added, “The clock is ticking, edging Sudan’s mothers and children closer to famine. WHO and partners are on the ground working to prevent and treat acute malnutrition to save precious lives but we need sustained humanitarian access and full financial backing to be able to do this.”

The agencies call for immediate, unimpeded and consistent access to communities who are suffering the worst effects of the brutal and lengthy conflict, through all possible crossline and cross-border routes with neighbouring countries, de-escalation of the situation in El Fasher and a nationwide ceasefire.

(ST)