UNICEF sounds the alarm in the Sudan

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has warned that 700 thousand children in the Sudan may suffer the most serious malnutrition this year, with thousands potentially dying.

The 10-month war in the Sudan between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) destroyed the country’s infrastructure, triggered famine warnings and prompted millions to be displaced inside and outside the country.

Mr. James Elder, UNICEF spokesman, said that the organization would be unable to treat more than 300 thousand of these without improved access and without additional support, in which case tens of thousands would probably die. ”

He warned that 3.5 million children are expected to suffer from severe severe malnutrition that makes them almost 10 times more likely to die from diseases such as cholera and malaria.

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) provides the Sudan with ready-to-use therapeutic foods, which are life-saving foodstuffs that treat severe wasting in children under the age of five.

UNICEF urges that $840 million be raised to help just over 7.5 million children in the Sudan this year, but Elder regretted the insufficient funds raised in previous appeals.

“Despite the magnitude of the needs, funding sought by UNICEF last year for about 3 quarters of children in the Sudan could not be obtained,” he said.

The United Nations called on States not to forget civilians suffering from war in the Sudan and urged $4.1 billion to meet their humanitarian needs and support those who had fled to neighbouring countries.

Half of the Sudan’s population, some 25 million, needs humanitarian assistance and protection, while more than 1.5 million people have fled to the Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia and South Sudan according to the United Nations.