Over 25 million people in need of humanitarian aid in Sudan – WFP
The World Food Programme (WFP) warned of severe malnutrition in Sudan, as about 25 million people are in dire need of humanitarian assistance.
In a statement seen by The City Review on Monday, Michael Dunford, WFP’s Regional Director for East Africa, said the conflict in Sudan has impacted three countries, including South Sudan and Chad.
He said children and women crossing to South Sudan and Chad arrive in these countries with nothing in their hands.
“The impact of this conflict spans three countries Sudan, South Sudan, and Chad and has created the world’s largest displacement crisis. We are almost a year into the war, and we are seeing no signs that the number of families fleeing across borders will slow. The children and women who are crossing to South Sudan or Chad are hungry and arriving with no resources,” Dunford said.
He stressed that if the humanitarian agencies were to be given access to reach people stranded in conflicting areas, the situation could not exacerbate in Sudan.
“Unless this conflict is resolved, unfettered access is granted to humanitarian agencies, and funding is received, this crisis will only worsen,” said Dunford.
Dunford emphasised the need to assist families displaced by the crisis in Sudan to avert devastating hunger affecting the civilians.
“We need to be able to provide support to families in Sudan to avoid the world’s largest displacement crisis turning into a hunger catastrophe as we approach the lean season,” he said.
According to the WFP, hunger and acute malnutrition have soared in Sudan since the conflict broke out. There are 18 million acutely food insecure people within the country and around 3.8 million Sudanese children under five years old are malnourished.
“Most are trapped in areas of active fighting where WFP and other aid agencies are struggling to maintain consistent access. Those who can escape are fleeing to places like South Sudan or Chad, adding to already dire humanitarian situations in both countries,” the statement reads in part.
It added, “Those arriving today in South Sudan are joining families already struggling with slashed rations and extreme hunger. Malnutrition is increasing rapidly among children who are languishing in temporary transit camps. Trends observed by WFP indicate that approximately 4 percent of children under 5 years of age crossing the border into South Sudan are malnourished on arrival.”
Also, in Chad, more than 553,000 Sudanese, mainly from Darfur, have fled since the conflict broke out. Around 40 percent of refugee children taken to an emergency clinic at a reception camp were found to be suffering from acute malnutrition.
However, a devastating hunger catastrophe is approaching as food and nutrition needs across Sudan, South Sudan, and Chad reach alarming levels.
