New York, Feb. 10 (SANA) – United Nations agencies warned on Tuesday that the continued violence, famine, and spread of diseases in Sudan are leading to a worsening child death toll, amid repeated attacks on the health care sector and difficulties in accessing humanitarian aid, which are hampering efforts to save lives.
The UN News Centre quoted UNICEF spokesperson Ricardo Pires as saying that more than half of children in parts of North Darfur are suffering from severe malnutrition as a result of intense fighting. He warned that hunger and malnutrition strike children first, as they are the youngest, most vulnerable, and weakest.
Pires explained that the situation affects children aged between six months and five years, stressing that time is running out for them. He noted that famine thresholds have been crossed in areas that were not previously considered at risk, and that armed conflict, mass displacement, the collapse of services, and difficulties in reaching those in need have led to famine warnings across vast areas of Sudan.
He also warned that fever, diarrhea, and respiratory infections, combined with low vaccination rates, contaminated water, and the collapse of the health system, are turning treatable illnesses into death sentences for children already suffering from malnutrition. He called on the international community not to turn a blind eye to the tragedy of Sudan’s children.
For his part, Shible Sahbani, the World Health Organization’s representative in Sudan, confirmed that displaced persons are in urgent need of immediate care, noting that the health system has been severely damaged by attacks that resulted in the loss of equipment and medical supplies, in addition to shortages of health workers and operational resources.
Sahbani pointed out that the World Health Organization has documented 205 attacks on the health care sector over nearly three years, resulting in 1,924 deaths and 529 injuries. He explained that such attacks deprive communities of health care for years, instill fear among patients and health workers, and create major obstacles to providing life-saving treatment, at a time when the country is facing outbreaks of multiple diseases, including cholera, malaria, dengue fever, and measles.
Since April 2023, the Sudanese conflict resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of people, the displacement of millions, and the collapse of basic services. The humanitarian crisis has worsened with the spread of famine and epidemics, while attacks on health facilities continue to obstruct the delivery of aid.
