The UNICEF organization has raised an alarm regarding the dire situation in Sudan, stating that more than 640,000 children under the age of five are increasingly at risk of violence, disease, and hunger. Reports indicate over 1,180 cases of cholera have been confirmed.
Among these, it is estimated that around 300 cases involve children, with at least 20 fatalities reported in Tawila, North Darfur, since the first case was identified on June 21, 2023. This reflects a rapid increase in cases in a town that has seen more than 500,000 people displaced due to ongoing conflict since April of this year.
The United Nations agency confirmed that as of July 30, nearly 2,140 cases of cholera were recorded across five Darfur states, with at least 80 deaths noted due to the worsening conflict. Beyond cholera, the lives of over 640,000 young children remain under significant threat from violence, illness, and food scarcity.
Many individuals have been forced to flee to Tawila, located approximately 70 kilometers from El Fasher, the state capital, as fighting continues. Displaced populations in Tawila face perilous living conditions, marked by severe shortages of food, water, and shelter, along with an escalating risk of disease outbreaks.
In North Darfur, hospitals have been bombed, and nearby health facilities are forced to close due to proximity to combat zones. The lack of access to healthcare, coupled with insufficient clean water and poor sanitation, exacerbates the risk of cholera and other deadly illnesses, particularly in overcrowded displacement sites.
Recent assessments by UNICEF show that the number of children suffering from acute severe malnutrition in North Darfur has doubled over the past year. With the cholera outbreak, this situation poses a lethal combination. The agency stated:
“Children weakened by hunger are more susceptible to cholera and more likely to die from it. Without safe and immediate access to life-saving nutrition, health, and water services, the risk of preventable deaths will continue to rise.”
Essential Supplies
Critical supplies, such as vaccines and ready-to-use therapeutic food, have been largely depleted, and replenishing these resources is becoming increasingly challenging due to near-complete disruptions in humanitarian access, along with aid convoys being attacked or looted. Ongoing bureaucratic obstacles in delivering supplies and services are further intensifying the situation.
UNICEF’s representative in Sudan, Sheldon Yates, remarked: “Although cholera is both preventable and treatable, it is spreading rapidly in Tawila and other parts of Darfur, putting children’s lives, particularly the youngest and most vulnerable, at risk.”
He added, “We are tirelessly working with our partners on the ground to contain the outbreak and save lives – but the ongoing violence is increasing needs at a pace faster than we can meet. We have called for and continue to demand safe and unimpeded access to urgently change the situation and reach these children in need. They cannot wait another day.”