Aid agency urges urgent action over rising malnutrition cases
September 7, 2023 (KHARTOUM) – The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is calling for urgent action following what is described as a sharp surge in cases of severe acute malnutrition amongst the displaced people in war-torn Sudan.
The sharp increase in malnutrition case, it said in a statement, has witnessed a staggering 300% increase in Hantoub and a 163% increase in Banet areas of Sudan.
“During the ongoing fighting, more than 4 million people have fled their homes and suffering the consequences of the interruption of access to essential services, such as nutritious food, limited access to basic health services, limited access to safe and adequate water, sanitation services, and other factors that has led to a further deterioration of nutrition among children under five,” said Mohamed Mahdi, IRC Deputy Director of Programs in Sudan.
He added, “The surge in recorded malnutrition rates could also be attributed to IRC’s scaling up of screening services, with recorded increase still proportionately higher than the increase in screening”.
At least 20.3 million people across Sudan are acutely food insecure and need food and livelihood assistance between July and September 2023, according to the latest integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) on the country.
With a children population estimated at 23 million, IRC said 3 million children under 5 years of age were acutely malnourished in Sudan before the crisis broke out.
“Children with acute malnutrition have weakened immune systems and are at higher risk of dying from common childhood diseases. Those that survive could face lifelong growth and development challenges. They risk facing a future marked by illness, poor school results, and poverty with ripple effects across generations,” it said.
Together with its partner, IRC said it is providing nutrition supplements and essential medical services to ensure that the affected individuals receive appropriate care.
Additionally, it further stressed, health education and awareness campaigns are being carried out to sensitize communities about the importance of proper nutrition, especially for vulnerable populations such as children and pregnant women in Sudan.
More than 5 million people have been displaced inside and outside Sudan due to the conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said.
(ST)