Port Sudan , July 12(Darfur 24)
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) revealed on Saturday a 46% increase in the number of children receiving treatment for severe acute malnutrition in Darfur states.
The organization said that this statistic covers the period from January to May 2025, compared to the same period the previous year.
It noted that surveys conducted in five areas of Darfur during April and May 2024 showed an extremely alarming rise in malnutrition rates among children, exceeding emergency levels in nine out of 13 localities.
It added: “The survey conducted in Yassin locality in East Darfur showed that the global acute malnutrition rate—which includes severe and moderate acute malnutrition—reached 28%. If this rate rises to 30%, it will reach one of the three thresholds used to define famine.”
UNICEF revealed that more than 40,000 children were admitted for treatment for severe acute malnutrition during the first five months of this year in North Darfur state alone.
It noted that the situation is also alarming in other areas, with admission rates for severe acute malnutrition cases increasing by more than 70% in North Kordofan, 174% in Khartoum, and a staggering 683% in Al Jazirah state.
The organization attributed the significant increase in admission rates in Al Jazirah and Khartoum in part to improved security and humanitarian conditions, which have allowed mothers to access health centers for support.
UNICEF stressed that the risk of mass child deaths is rapidly increasing in areas already nearing the famine threshold, while cholera and measles outbreaks and the collapse of health services are exacerbating the crisis, putting the most vulnerable children at greater risk.