Grave Malnutrition Emergency is Unfolding in Sudan’s Conflict-Affected Central and South Darfur States

18 July 2024

New assessment reveals nine in 10 children are suffering from life-threatening malnutrition 

Data from a new Mercy Corps assessment reveals a catastrophic malnutrition crisis unfolding in Sudan’s Central and South Darfur states, particularly affecting children under five. Ongoing conflict has devastated food production, disrupted supplies, and hindered access to critical humanitarian aid. 

This assessment, conducted in collaboration with the Ministry of Health as part of Mercy Corps’ response in the region, coincided with household registration for direct cash assistance programs. Due to the alarming food security situation, 100% of households qualify for cash assistance. During registration, every child under five undergoes malnutrition screening using the Mid-Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) method. Screening has been conducted across nine localities in these states from June to July 2024. 

In Central Darfur State: Over 4,100 children were screened in five areas. Shockingly, nearly a quarter of them, 975 kids, were found to have Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM), which is the most severe and life-threatening type of hunger. Another 2,800 children, about two-thirds of those screened, were diagnosed with Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM), characterized by significant but less severe nutritional deficits compared to SAM, rendering a child susceptible to increased infections. Overall, almost 91% of the children assessed are suffering from some form of acute malnutrition, classified as Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM). This situation is beyond extreme given that the threshold for a nutrition emergency is 15%, and local health services are woefully underequipped to deal with the fallout. 

In South Darfur State: Out of about 3,200 children examined in four areas, 387 kids are suffering from SAM and over 1,100 with MAM. The situation in Al Radoum area is particularly alarming: out of nearly 700 children screened there, 118 are battling SAM and 194 have MAM. Reports from a local health facility in Wad Haggam, part of Al Radoum, paint a grim picture of the crisis, where an estimated four to five children are dying each day from malnutrition-related causes. Currently, Mercy Corps is the only aid organization working in Al Radoum area. 

Mercy Corps Country Director for Sudan, Sibongani Kayola, says: 

"The severity of the situation in Central and South Darfur demands a rapid and coordinated response. Our teams are urgently scaling up efforts, providing cash support to help affected families purchase food, water, medicine, and other essentials. 

“However, these interventions are woefully insufficient. While cash assistance provides a critical lifeline to families, many of these children have reached a point where cash alone cannot save them. There’s an urgent need for specialized health interventions, including comprehensive nutritional support, emergency stabilization centers, medical care, and continuous monitoring of affected children, while ramping up the overall humanitarian response to prevent more deaths. 

“People in South and Central Darfur are facing catastrophe with no relief in sight. Donors and humanitarian actors must not wait for additional data or a famine declaration to act when each day of inaction brings these children closer to death’s door.  

“We urgently need all possible efforts deployed to address the impacts of conflict-induced hunger, including fully funding the humanitarian response. We also call on all governments with influence to intensify their diplomatic efforts, ensuring that humanitarian actors can reach those in desperate need with food, nutrition, and medicine.” 

Notes to Editor  

  • Detailed data breakdowns and testimonials from IDP camp in South Darfur are available here. 

  • According to the latest food security assessment, Sudan is facing its worst recorded levels of acute food insecurity, with 755,000 people at risk of starvation (IPC Phase 5: Catastrophe) in 10 states. Additionally, 8.5 million people, or 18% of the population, are experiencing severe food shortages that could lead to malnutrition and death 

  • Mercy Corps has been working in Sudan since 2004, actively responding to the current crisis by providing humanitarian assistance in seven of the country's 18 states, including South and Central Darfur, South Kordofan, and Khartoum, all experiencing extreme hunger. We are scaling up our response across Sudan, expanding into new areas, including Northern and River Nile States. 

  • We are providing immediate cash assistance to displaced communities, allowing them to purchase basic necessities with dignity while also supporting local markets amidst the ongoing conflict. Since April 2023, we have provided cash assistance to 13,000 households and 78,000 people.  

  • We are promoting long-term community resilience and recovery, particularly through support for smallholder farmers to increase food production and linkages to existing markets. In the Gedaref and South Kordofan regions, we are supporting farmers with seeds and cash to ensure they have high-quality seeds and can plant in time for the crucial planting season. 

  • In Central and South Darfur, we are distributing fresh food vouchers (FFV) to vulnerable populations, particularly pregnant and breastfeeding women and children under the age of two, to ensure access to a varied and nutritious diet and to promote proactive medical assistance when necessary. 

 

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