Dozens die of malnutrition in Sudan’s Omdurman amidst healthcare crisis

January 9, 2025 (OMDURMAN) – Sixty people, mostly children, have died from malnutrition in the locality of Umbada, west of Omdurman, the Emergency Room reported on Thursday. Cases of malnutrition have also surged, reaching 1,873 across three sectors of the locality.

The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) had controlled Umbada, northwest of Khartoum state, since the outbreak of war on April 15, 2023, but the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) recently contested the area, splitting control with the RSF.

A member of the Umbada Emergency Room, speaking to Sudan Tribune on condition of anonymity for security reasons, said the medical office recorded 60 deaths due to malnutrition. Among the dead are 45 children, 12 elderly people, and three pregnant women in the Dar es Salaam, Al-Amir, and Al-Buqa’a sectors of Umbada between September and December last year.

“The total number of malnutrition cases has reached 1,873, mostly among children, the elderly, and pregnant women,” the Emergency Room member added.

He acknowledged challenges facing the Emergency Room, including the lack of ready-made or locally produced meals for malnourished children, the absence of nutritional supplements, the lack of regular check-ups for pregnant women, and a shortage of Vitamin A.

He called for the establishment of safe corridors for transporting medicine and vaccines throughout the locality, equipping operating rooms for natural and cesarean deliveries, establishing nurseries for newborns, and creating a comprehensive healthcare system to respond quickly to emergencies.

Authorities in areas under SAF control have imposed strict restrictions on the delivery of certain goods to areas under RSF control in Khartoum state.