World Health: 755,000 Sudanese face catastrophic levels of food insecurity

More than 25 million Sudanese face acute levels of food insecurity, according to the latest IPC analysis of acute food insecurity conducted between late April and early June 2024, the World Health Organization said.

About 755,000 people face catastrophic levels of food insecurity, while 8.5 million people suffer from severe food shortages and high levels of malnutrition. There are 14 areas at risk of famine, including, for example, areas in the states of Darfur, Khartoum, and Gezira, and concentrations of internally displaced persons and refugees. These are the worst levels of acute food insecurity ever recorded by the Integrated Interim Classification in Sudan.

This represents a sharp and rapid deterioration in the food security situation compared to the previous IPC update in December 2023. The IPC had warned that more people would face high levels of acute food insecurity unless there was an immediate cessation of hostilities. Ensuring access to humanitarian aid.

The conflict has escalated significantly in recent months, and has also spread to other areas between armed factions, with an increase in organized violence, mass displacement, disruption of basic health services, and obstruction of humanitarian access, which has led to a deterioration in the food and nutrition security situation in Sudan.

Nutritional deficiencies make people more vulnerable to disease. This is especially true for children, as the combination of malnutrition and disease can be fatal.

Therefore, urgent measures must be taken to prevent famine, the possibility of delivering humanitarian aid must be restored, and protection must also be provided to health facilities and health workers, as the Sudanese people deserve health and peace.