Malnutrition kills four children in Khartoum as cases surge

October 31, 2024 (KHARTOUM) – Four children have died from malnutrition in Khartoum in the past ten days, as cases among children in the capital surge amid the ongoing conflict, the South Belt Emergency Room reported on Thursday.

The area, which includes the neighbourhoods of Al-Ingaz, Al-Azhari, Al-Salama, and Mayo, has been under the control of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since the war began and has seen heavy fighting. Over 2,400 cases of malnutrition have been reported in the past ten days alone.

“The medical office received reports of the deaths of four children as a result of malnutrition complications,” a member of the South Belt Emergency Room told Sudan Tribune. He warned that hundreds of children are at serious risk as malnutrition cases continue to rise.

Wasting, stunting, underweight, and vitamin and mineral deficiencies are among the prevalent forms of malnutrition in the area, all of which can have fatal consequences.

The already fragile healthcare system in Sudan has been decimated by the conflict. An estimated 80% of health facilities in conflict zones are no longer operational, and there is a critical shortage of essential medicines and medical supplies.