With the fight that does not show signs of extremely limited humanitarian decrease and access, the crisis in Sudan has become one of the largest emergencies in the world, the UN Office of the High Refugee Commissioner (UNHCR) warned on Monday.
“This is a very, very sad milestone,” said Mamadou Dian Balde, Regional Director of UNHCR for East Africa, who marks two years from the outbreak of war.
“We are seeing massive violations, mass displacements and a devastating impact on millions of people.“
A humanitarian catastrophe
The war, which exploded in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Paramilitary Fast Support forces (RSF), has triggered a full -fledged humanitarian catastrophe.
More than half of the population, around 25 million people, require humanitarian assistance and protection, but funds of funds and insecurity have left vast stripes of the country without scope.
The Regional Refugee Response Plan of $ 1.8 billion of $ 1.8 billion by 2025, which aimed to support 4.8 million refugees and members of the host community, remains only 10 percent financed, said Balde, which endangers essential services such as food, refuge, education and medical care.
“The communities that have very little are sharing what they have with refugees. It is an extraordinary sample of solidarity,” he added, urging the international community to intensify support for the most vulnerable throughout the region.
Thousands of lives at risk
Hunger has reached catastrophic levels in Sudan, with the famine confirmed in 10 areas and 17 more at riskaccording to the UN Food Program (WFP).
In some areas, emergency food assistance is the only barrier that prevents hunger. However, vital operations are limited by insecurity and lack of funds.
“Without immediate assistance, especially in areas of hunger or risk of hunger, thousands of lives are at risk“Makena Walker, interim director of the PMA in Sudan said.
“We can expand, but we need all parties to guarantee safe access and without obstacles to humanitarian convoys,” he added.
A mother sits with her eight -year -old daughter in a hospital in Sudan.
The most affected children
Children remain among the most affected.
According to the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Childhood victims this year have increased In 83 percent compared to the beginning of 2024. Children also have a severe risk of sexual and gender violence or are forced to participate in armed groups, in addition to losing education.
In addition, it is estimated that 146,000 children suffer from severe acute malnutrition this year, leaving them up to 11 times more likely to die than a well -fed child.
A public health emergency
The crisis has also become spiral in a Public Health EmergencyWith more than 20.3 million people now in urgent need for medical care. Cholera, measles, malaria and dengue are extending rapidly in two thirds of the states of Sudan, with cholera only claiming more than 1,500 lives.
This situation is falling apart against a health infrastructure at the edge of collapse: 38 percent of hospitals in the most affected regions are not functional and the remaining only partially operational, according to the UN World Health Organization (WHO).
The attacks against medical care have increased, with 156 attacks verified in the last two years, resulting in hundreds of deaths and injuries.
“In addition to being a famine crisis, the humanitarian situation in Sudan is also a crisis of protection and health,” said Shible Sahbani, WHO representative in the country.
The UN Health Agency is determined to continue working to improve access to health for people in Sudan. However, recent fund cuts have forced to reduce operations, potentially affecting health services.
If the financing does not flow, 4.7 million people aimed at health interventions this year will be affected. Services in 335 health facilities must also be reduced, including trauma and emergency care.
A woman carries water to her refuge in a camp for internal displaced people in eastern Sudan.
Working against probabilities
In spite of the challenges, the humanitarian and partners of the UN continue their efforts to reach the most vulnerable communities with assistance to save lives.
Since the war began, PMA has provided more than 13 million people with food and nutrition support. For his part, he has supported more than one million people with health services, treated 75,000 severely malnourished children and helped vaccinate 11.5 million children against polio and measles.
But humanitarian workers warn that the situation is deteriorating rapidly, particularly in the states of Darfur and parts of Jardtum and Al-Jazirah (also spelling Gezira), where the combats and active sieges are anivios of help.
Mr. Balde reiterated the urgent need for the international community to help silence weapons “,”We call peace, protection and sustained support – [only then] Normality can return, and refugees can return home.“
