Kadugli, May 29 (Darfur24)
Kadugli locality in South Kordofan is facing a worsening humanitarian crisis, with nearly half of households suffering from hunger and around one-third of children showing signs of malnutrition, according to a recent field assessment conducted by Impact in partnership with Save the Children.
The assessment, conducted in December 2025 and covering 289 households, found that famine conditions classified as Phase 5 under international food security standards persist amid ongoing conflict, displacement, and the collapse of livelihoods and basic services.
According to the findings, 80% of families rely on purchasing food from markets, while only 26% depend on local agricultural production. About 30% of households were classified as having poor or borderline food consumption, while most families reported resorting to severe coping mechanisms, including cutting healthcare expenses, selling household assets and exhausting savings.
The report showed that 55% of households had reached “crisis” levels of coping, while 22% were in “emergency” conditions.
Children were among the hardest hit, with 31% of those screened found to be malnourished. Malnutrition rates were higher among children in host communities than among displaced families. Fever, cough and diarrhea were reported as the most common illnesses affecting children.
The assessment also highlighted major obstacles to healthcare access, including the high cost of treatment, insecurity and the closure or limited operation of health facilities.
Women and girls identified markets and firewood collection routes as the most dangerous places due to growing security risks.
In the water and sanitation sector, many households reported shortages of soap and hygiene supplies, while nearly one-fifth of families still practice open defecation, raising concerns over deteriorating public health conditions.