Famine looms in South Darfur’s Kalma camp as food and medicine run out

November 2, 2026 (NYALA) – The General Coordination of Displaced Persons and Refugees in Darfur warned on Monday of a deteriorating humanitarian crisis in the Kalma camp in South Darfur.

A severe shortage of food and medicine threatens to trigger a famine in the camp, which houses thousands of displaced people.

Camp residents face an almost complete lack of food and life-saving medicines due to halted humanitarian aid and a declining international response.

The shortages previously caused the deaths of dozens of children, elderly people, and pregnant women from starvation and severe malnutrition.

In March 2026, a massive fire in the camp destroyed more than 1,000 homes, leaving thousands of families without shelter or food.

Adam Rijal, spokesperson for the coordination, said in a statement that there are highly dangerous indicators in the Kalma camp.

He cited the severe lack of humanitarian aid, soaring prices for essential goods, and the climate impacts of the El Niño phenomenon, which led to poor rainfall and a failed agricultural season.

These factors have deepened displaced families’ vulnerability, worsened food insecurity, and increased the risk of starvation and malnutrition, Rijal said.

Health indicators are alarming, with about 20 children hospitalized daily for severe malnutrition.

Health centres recorded roughly 2,750 malnutrition cases in a single month.

Rijal reported a spread of diseases including malaria, acute diarrhoea, typhoid, and anaemia.

Between 200 and 300 patients visit health centres daily, despite limited resources and a lack of medical supplies.

Rijal stressed that repeated warnings of famine in the Darfur and Kordofan regions must be taken seriously and prioritized above political and military disputes.

He warned that the situation in Kalma is a severe humanitarian alert requiring immediate intervention to prevent a broader disaster in the coming months.