WFP calls for safe routes to make reliable food deliveries in Sudan amid malnutrition surge

07 Feb 2024 --- The UN World Food Programme (WFP) urges opposing sides in the ongoing war in Sudan to immediately guarantee safe access to humanitarian assistance, including food. The number of famished Sudanese has more than doubled since the re-ignition of war in April of last year.

“Humanitarian access is constrained by complex conflict dynamics, including ever-shifting frontlines as fighting spreads to new areas,” a WFP spokesperson tells Nutrition Insight. “Aid convoys face threats, roadblocks, restrictions and bureaucratic impediments, making it extremely challenging for WFP and humanitarian agencies to scale up. Equitable access to humanitarian relief remains an urgent concern.”

“Millions of people — especially in Khartoum, Darfur and Kordofan — lack access to food, water, shelter, electricity, education, health and nutrition care. There are already dire reports of food insecurity and malnutrition in Sudan. In the absence of access and increased funding, there will be catastrophic impacts on vulnerable populations, with children and women always being the first casualties.” 

WFP Aid convoys carrying food and nutrition assistance are facing threats, roadblocks, restrictions and bureaucratic impediments (Image credit: WFP/Abubaker Garelnabei).Children most affected
According to the organization’s latest estimation, almost 18 million of Sudan’s population of close to 49 million face acute hunger, corresponding to IPC phase 3+ on the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC). 

The IPC acute food insecurity classification signifies levels of severity on a scale from one to five, with five being the worst possible and equating to catastrophe or famine. IPC phases higher than three signify a potential deterioration from IPC 3 (crisis) to IPC 4 (emergency).

“Acute malnutrition, the deadliest form of malnutrition, currently affects almost half of all Sudanese children under five years old (45%),” the WFP spokesperson highlights, detailing that these are among the highest malnutrition rates in the world. “Children suffering from moderate acute malnutrition are three times more likely to die than a well-nourished child, and those with severe acute malnutrition up to 12 times more likely.”

“Malnutrition raises the risks of compromised immune systems, vulnerability to disease and associated mortality. In an environment like Sudan, where children do not have access to proper medical services, suffering from malnutrition could lead to death from diseases that are usually treatable, such as diarrhea.”

“While acute malnutrition can be treated, even just one episode impairs physiological and cognitive growth: the current situation threatens a whole generation of Sudanese children, as well as their country’s future development.”

The spokesperson further informs that 30% of pregnant and breastfeeding women and girls are also acutely malnourished, which is bound to result in “dire consequences for their own health, as well as that of their babies.” 

According to the WFP, acute malnutrition, the deadliest form of malnutrition, affects almost half of all Sudanese children under the age of five (Image credit: WFP/Abubaker Garelnabei).WFP resource shortages
The WFP spokesperson asserts that since the start of the conflict, the organization has provided emergency food and nutrition assistance to over 6.5 million people across Sudan, including in “hard-to-reach” areas in Khartoum, Kordofan and Darfur.

 “WFP, through its partners, is providing treatment and prevention of the wasting of children under five and pregnant and breastfeeding women and girls. WFP also works to strengthen the enabling environment, including social behavior change communication for improved nutrition through household knowledge to promote healthy dietary and social habits adoption.”

The spokesperson explains that the organization cannot do more at present: “WFP has only secured 10% of the US $66.5 million needed for nutrition programming in 2024. This means that we do not have the resources to provide specialized nutritious foods to support the recovery of acutely malnourished children and pregnant and breastfeeding women and girls, or to implement critical prevention programs which stop acute malnutrition before it starts.”

“In addition, due to the severe resource shortfalls, WFP has had to implement half food rations for beneficiaries in IPC 4 locations and can no longer support populations in IPC 3. This will likely lead to an increase in already severe malnutrition rates.” 

Nutrition in a war zone
The WFP reports that a vital humanitarian hub previously supporting over 800,000 people a month in the state of Gezira, neighboring Khartoum, became the site of fighting, resulting in looting and the loss of valuable resources.

“The warehouse was in one of WFP’s key operational hubs in Wad Madani, the capital of Gezira, and the looting occurred in December 2023. The WFP warehouse contained more than 2,500 metric tons of life-saving food, including pulses, sorghum, vegetable oil and nutrition supplements.”

“The specialized nutritious foods were intended to prevent malnutrition and assist malnutrition treatment for more than 20,000 children and pregnant and breastfeeding women through WFP-supported health centers,” the spokesperson tells us. “Accordingly, WFP was forced to pause distributions in Gezira temporarily.”

“WFP operations are a lifeline to nearly one million vulnerable people in Gezira state, and the looting of premises undermines our operations at a time when nearly 18 million people are facing acute hunger.” 

Over half a million people fled Gezira in December last year. Addressing how the WFP collaborates with local stakeholders to alleviate distress for the nation’s displaced population, the spokesperson comments: “WFP coordinates with the nutrition sector organizations in making sure there is a continuum of care and that all children will receive the treatment they need.” 

 “Ensuring appropriate coordination across food security, health and nutrition sectors is particularly important in contexts with high internal displacement and areas of congestion.”

“This is very much the case now in Sudan where, according to the International Organization for Migration, over six million people have been internally displaced since the start of the crisis. This makes Sudan the largest internal displacement crisis globally,” the spokesperson stresses. 

By Milana Nikolova