Sudan faces imminent threat of a massive food shortage crisis
Sudan's Humanitarian Crisis: A Grave Concern for UN and WHO
Sudan is currently facing one of the world's gravest humanitarian crises, with millions of people affected by ongoing war and famine. According to UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO), the situation is dire and requires immediate attention.
Approximately 11.8 million people have been forcibly displaced since the conflict intensified in April 2023, making it the largest displacement crisis globally. Nearly 25 million Sudanese are acutely hungry, with famine confirmed in several regions. This crisis is worsening due to rising food and fuel costs.
The humanitarian impacts are severe. Forced displacement has led to the destruction of essential services and infrastructure, including hospitals, schools, power stations, and water facilities. Health crises are spreading due to damaged health infrastructure and disrupted services. Outbreaks of cholera, dengue fever, and malaria are reported, with thousands of deaths from cholera alone.
Refugee outflows are significant, with over 4 million people fleeing Sudan. Neighboring countries like Chad, South Sudan, Central African Republic, Egypt, Ethiopia, Libya, and Uganda have large refugee populations. Meanwhile, more than 1 million displaced people have returned to their places of origin within Sudan, but they face huge unmet needs amid destroyed infrastructure.
The UN's 2025 appeal for funding to address this crisis requires $4.2 billion, but has only received about 14% funding, severely limiting aid delivery.
Dr. Richard Brennan, the regional emergency director for the World Health Organization's regional office for the Eastern Mediterranean, has described the current humanitarian situation in Sudan as catastrophic and barely receiving international attention. He reported that almost 14,000 people have been killed, 28,000 injured, and there are ongoing outbreaks of cholera, measles, dengue fever, and malaria in Sudan.
UNICEF is urging the warring parties in Sudan to allow for timely, continuous, and unhindered humanitarian access. Dr. Hanan Balkhy, WHO regional director for the Eastern Mediterranean Region, has expressed concern about the situation in Darfur states, where no direct humanitarian access has been possible for several months. During her meetings with the Sudanese government, Dr. Balkhy received reassurances that all efforts will be made to facilitate the scale up of the health response throughout Sudan.
Jill Lawler, chief of field operations and emergency for UNICEF in Sudan, led a team on a mission to Omdurman. She stated that the needs for children nationwide are staggering, with some of the most vulnerable children in the hardest-to-reach places. UNICEF estimates that approximately 3.7 million children in Sudan will be acutely malnourished this year, including 730,000 who require life-saving care.
UNICEF is calling for humanitarian access to be granted to conflict-affected areas in Sudan, particularly in Darfur, where only limited aid is reaching people. The ongoing war in Sudan has triggered massive displacement, widespread famine affecting roughly a quarter of the population, and a public health emergency aggravated by infrastructure attacks and constrained humanitarian funding. The crisis spills over into neighboring countries, compounding regional instability.
