Khartoum, 24 September 2022 (TDI): United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Representative in Sudan, Mandeep O’Brien reported that 650,000 children suffer from severe acute malnutrition. In the absence of timely aid, half of them could die.
Half of #Sudan‘s children could die unless aid is stepped up for treatment warns @UNICEFSudan, with 650,000 suffering acute malnutrition. Full details ⬇️https://t.co/CVlsREOE7Z
— UN News (@UN_News_Centre) September 24, 2022
She also told journalists in Geneva, “Routine immunization, unfortunately, is declining in Sudan. Between 2019 and 2021, the number of children who have not received a single dose of lifesaving vaccines has doubled.”
Sudan amidst crises
The political effects of the Ukraine War, the Covid-19 pandemic, and a military coup crippled the economy. On top of that, people are dying of hunger, intertribal violence, bloodshed, and food shortages.
The war in Ukraine stopped the import from Russia and Ukraine. 80% of the wheat supplies from Russia and 7% from Ukraine stopped suddenly which caused a food crisis. Prices shot up, the poorest faced the most severe effects as they did not have the resources to adapt.
On 25 October 2021, in a military coup, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan leading the Sudan military took over the government. This lack of a legitimate government severely impacted international cooperation.
This disturbance in international cooperation had a toll on the amount of foreign assistance. The political situation proved lethal for the displaced people in Sudan, especially the children.
Also read: Albania at UNSC briefing on Sudan’s security situation
World Food Programme (WFP) Country Director in Sudan, Eddie Rowe said that intertribal violence has increased. He was concerned about the ongoing crises in the country.
He said, “In the context of a politically unstable country, all of this has resulted in an unprecedented humanitarian crisis this year.”
WFP reported, “At the moment, 15 million people would go hungry every day. This number could rise to 18 million by the end of this month.”
United Nations Refugee Relief Agency (UNHCR), UNICEF, World Health Organization (WHO), and other organizations have continuously assisted people in Sudan. They have asked the world to come forward and save the lives of children dying of hunger.
