Child Malnutrition Surges in Darfur Amid Conflict and Famine Threats

A staggering surge in child malnutrition across Sudan’s war-ravaged regions—especially the five Darfur states—has triggered fresh warnings from UNICEF about a rapidly escalating humanitarian disaster. Between January and May 2025, the number of children treated for Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) in Darfur rose by 46 per cent compared to the same period last year. In North Darfur alone, more than 40,000 children have already been admitted for treatment this year—double the figure from 2024.

A Nation Teetering on the Brink of Famine

The latest surveys conducted between April and May 2025 across Darfur show that 9 out of 13 localities now exceed emergency thresholds for acute malnutrition, as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO). In Yasin locality in East Darfur, the Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) rate has soared to 28 per cent—dangerously close to the 30 per cent threshold used as a key indicator of famine.

This warning comes amid an already dire context, as famine-like conditions are reported in several parts of Sudan. “Children in Darfur are being starved by conflict and cut off from the very aid that could save them,” said Sheldon Yett, UNICEF Representative for Sudan. “This is a moment of truth; children’s lives depend on whether the world chooses to act or look away.”

Alarming Trends in Other Regions

The crisis is not confined to Darfur. Other regions are witnessing equally disturbing trends:

• North Kordofan: SAM admissions up by 70%

• Khartoum State: SAM cases surged by 174%

• Al Jazirah State: A shocking 683% increase in SAM admissions

While some of these increases may partly reflect improved access to health centres due to relative calm in certain areas, the broader pattern reveals an unfolding catastrophe.

Intensifying Conflict and Humanitarian Blockades

Now in the height of the lean season, Sudan is battling multiple converging crises. Conflict, especially around Al Fasher and Zamzam camp in North Darfur, has intensified sharply since April. Entire districts are under siege, healthcare facilities bombed, and road access severed. UNICEF confirms that convoys are being looted or attacked, leaving affected communities virtually cut off from humanitarian aid.

The Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) stocks—critical for treating children with SAM—have been exhausted in Al Fasher. With health centres closed, water systems failing, and sanitation deteriorating, there’s an increasing risk of cholera, measles, and other deadly disease outbreaks among already weakened children.

Mass Displacement and Spiraling Needs

The crisis has displaced hundreds of thousands, with the conflict in Zamzam alone displacing nearly 400,000 people in April. Many have been forced to walk as far as 70 kilometers to reach Tawila, which is now hosting over 500,000 displaced persons. These families are living in public buildings or under open skies, often with no food, water, or medical assistance.

What Is Severe Acute Malnutrition?

SAM, also referred to as severe wasting, is the most dangerous and life-threatening form of malnutrition. Children with SAM face an elevated risk of death from complications unless they receive urgent, intensive medical and nutritional care. The presence of SAM in children is often a signal of deeper food insecurity and poor public health systems.

A Desperate Plea for Global Action

Despite deteriorating conditions, UNICEF and partners continue to provide support—treating malnourished children, drilling wells, and distributing food and emergency supplies—but warn that needs are expanding faster than resources can cover.

UNICEF is calling on all stakeholders to act decisively:

1. Immediate Humanitarian Access: All parties to the conflict must allow rapid, safe, and unhindered humanitarian access across Darfur and the Kordofans.

2. Full Funding of Humanitarian Response: Donors must urgently fund nutrition and health programs. UNICEF requires an additional $200 million in 2025 to continue life-saving treatment and deliver therapeutic food.

3. Diplomatic Action: The international community must apply renewed diplomatic pressure for an immediate cessation of hostilities, to enable relief efforts to reach trapped populations.

4. Protection of Aid Workers and Convoys: Secure passage must be guaranteed for medical and humanitarian staff, without whom emergency response cannot scale up.

Lives in the Balance

UNICEF’s warnings come at a time when global attention is divided, and funding for Sudan remains critically underfunded. Yet, the price of inaction could be devastating. With malnutrition rates skyrocketing, and conflict destroying all lifelines, the window to prevent mass child deaths is rapidly closing.

“This is more than a humanitarian crisis—it’s a moral test,” said Yett. “Millions of Sudanese children are depending on the world to see their suffering and act, not tomorrow, but today.”