Port Sudan, Sudan – After a challenging two-and-a-half-hour journey from the village of al-Lalouba, Layla Ali arrived in Port Sudan, seeking vital medical assistance for her five-year-old son, Adam. Suffering from severe malnutrition, Adam presented with visibly protruding ribs, a distressing indicator of his health decline.
Adam’s appetite began to fade two weeks prior, and his health deteriorated to the point where he could hardly move. Concern about potential medical costs initially held Layla back from seeking urgent care. However, as Adam’s condition worsened, she was compelled to act.
During their five-day hospital stay, Layla learned from medical professionals about appropriate nutritional needs for children his age. “The doctors have educated me on the right foods for my son. I previously relied on our typical meals, but now I understand better how to provide for his health,” she stated.
Adam’s plight is emblematic of a larger humanitarian crisis affecting children across Sudan. The ongoing civil conflict, which escalated in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group, has fueled a dire situation. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) projects that by 2026, approximately 825,000 children under five will experience severe acute malnutrition, signifying a 7 percent increase from the previous year.
In the first half of this year, UNICEF and its partners successfully treated over 174,700 children nationwide for severe acute malnutrition, with the Port Sudan Teaching Hospital reporting 433 new cases within the months of January to August. Despite these efforts, the hospital faces overwhelming numbers, with instances of overcrowding becoming increasingly common, as medical staff strive to treat as many patients as possible—with multiple children often sharing a single bed in the facility’s 17-bed unit.
Nutrition counselor Maryam Gadalsid highlighted the ongoing challenges: “Every patient receives necessary supplies, including therapeutic milk, at no cost through the support of the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF. However, the financial burden of intravenous fluids and medications remains a concern for families caught in the economic turmoil exacerbated by the conflict.”
The situation particularly affects pregnant women, whose inadequate nutrition poses risks to their unborn children. The prevalence of flies and mosquitoes in the region adds an additional layer of risk, as malnourished children are notably vulnerable to disease.
The humanitarian crisis is at its most acute in Sudan’s western region of Darfur, an area that has faced decades of conflict prior to 2023. Despite the adversities, humanitarian organizations remain dedicated to providing support with food and resources to underserved communities.
Amid these challenges, local initiatives continue to spring up, demonstrating resilience and a commitment to improving health and nutrition in the region. Despite funding and resource limitations faced by organizations, efforts to educate families about nutrition and health remain essential in combatting the ongoing crisis.
Dr. Ahmed Youssef, the medical director at Port Sudan Teaching Hospital, remarked that the rise in malnutrition cases can be attributed not solely to the war and displacement but also to a general lack of nutritional awareness among families, particularly in rural areas. Efforts are underway to engage these communities more effectively, fostering deeper educational initiatives aimed at improving nutritional practices and overall well-being.
In light of these challenges, the international community’s support is vital for addressing the increasing malnutrition rates and ensuring the future health of Sudan’s children, underlining the critical importance of collaborative humanitarian efforts.
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