Port Sudan – The humanitarian crisis in Sudan has reached catastrophic levels, with unprecedented rates of acute malnutrition reported among those fleeing the besieged city of El Fasher in North Darfur. International aid organization, Doctors Without Borders, revealed the alarming findings in a statement released Tuesday.
Medical teams are treating individuals who have arrived in Tawila after escaping atrocities allegedly committed by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). According to the organization, over 70% of children under the age of five arriving between October 27th and November 3rd suffer from malnutrition, with 35% experiencing severe acute malnutrition.
Tests also indicate that 60% of adults are malnourished, with 37% in critical condition. These rates are even higher among pregnant and breastfeeding women. The findings corroborate a recent report by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), which officially declared famine in El Fasher and Kadugli.
Survivors arriving in Tawila have told medical teams that life in El Fasher became unbearable after community kitchens ceased operations, humanitarian aid was cut off, and markets were destroyed. The price of seven kilograms of sorghum reached 500,000 Sudanese pounds (approximately $208 USD) in September, while a kilogram of sugar cost 130,000 pounds ($54 USD).
Doctors Without Borders reports that individuals attempting to bring food into the city have been shot at by the RSF, with many losing their lives or disappearing. The organization fears that thousands remain trapped inside El Fasher or are being held hostage. They are calling for safe passage for civilians and an end to widespread human rights violations.
The crisis is not limited to Darfur. Doctors Without Borders has also documented a widespread deterioration in the nutritional status of children in the Blue Nile and Khartoum states, attributed to food shortages, disease, lack of livelihoods, and scarcity of clean water. In Khartoum state, the crisis has worsened with the return of over 700,000 displaced persons to destroyed neighborhoods lacking water and healthcare. Al Buluk Hospital in Omdurman treated 351 patients for malnutrition in September alone, while data from Al Ban Jadid Hospital in Khartoum revealed that 46% of children screened are suffering from malnutrition. The situation demands immediate and sustained international intervention.
