Communities in Dilling and Kadugli in the south are trapped in “siege conditions”. according to the children’s agency UNICEF. Additionally, sustained attacks have been reported in West Kordofan in recent days.
Meanwhile, the situation in and around El Fasher – which UN relief chief Tom Fletcher described as “potential crime scene” after his capture by militia fighters during his visit last month – remains dire. Civilians trying to escape continue to face grave risks along dangerous routes.
“We cannot emphasize enough that civilians wishing to flee must be able to pass safely and be able to access humanitarian assistance.“, declared UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric during the daily press briefing.
Hospitals are not spared
The World Health Organization (WHO) warned that attacks on health care in Sudan continue. Most of Al-Nhud Hospital in West Kordofan was overrun, depriving communities of essential medical care.
The UN agency has verified 198 attacks on health care since the conflict began in April 2023, killing more than 1,700 health workers and patients and injuring more than 400.
The children bear the brunt
In Tawila, North Darfur, where many displaced people have sought refuge, the arrival of people who fled El Fasher continues to put a strain on services.
The sites are overcrowded and malnutrition and disease are on the rise. UNICEF recorded nearly 950 separated or unaccompanied children in Tawila and other parts of the region.
According to the UN, its partners and state health authorities, the level of child malnutrition in White Nile State is “alarming”. More than 30 percent of children are underweight and one in three are stunted in El Jabalain, while limited access to clean water, low vaccination coverage and poor dietary practices fuel an acute malnutrition rate of 13 percent in Tendelti.
The response remains underfunded
“Despite all this, we continue to do everything we can to provide assistance», underlined Mr. Dujarric.
Over the past month, UNICEF and its partners have provided water to tens of thousands of people, delivering 132,000 liters per day.
They also treated acute malnutrition and provided psychosocial support to more than 3,000 young people.
However, with just weeks until the end of the year, the humanitarian response plan for Sudan is only 35 percent funded.
“We urge donors to step up their efforts and remain committed to supporting the millions of people in dire need across Sudan,” Dujarric said.
Publicado anteriormente en Almouwatin.
