MSF Reports a Child Dies Every Two Hours in Sudan Displacement Camp

According to MSF, a child dies every two hours in Sudan’s camp for displaced people, Zamzam, in North Darfur state. The medical group alerts of a catastrophic humanitarian situation in the camp.

Doctors Without Borders reports that in a camp for displaced people in Sudan’s North Darfur state, at least one child dies every two hours amidst a nine-month war that has led to the collapse of humanitarian services.

Prior to the conflict, the health system in North Darfur received support from UN agencies, but this aid has abruptly ceased, according to a report released by MSF on Monday.

Claire Nicolet, head of MSF’s emergency response in Sudan, describes the situation in Zamzam camp as “absolutely catastrophic,” with an estimated 13 children dying each day. She emphasizes that children with severe malnutrition face a high risk of dying within three to six weeks without treatment, a condition that is treatable if they can access health facilities, but many cannot.

MSF is the sole operational health provider in Zamzam camp, facing challenges such as staff not receiving salaries, shortages of equipment and medicines, and limited supplies essential for running health facilities.

The report highlights the absence of malnutrition programs in El Fasher, the state capital, and attributes the crisis to a war sparked by simmering tensions between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese army.

This conflict has displaced approximately 10.7 million people and left 17.7 million facing acute hunger, as reported by United Nations agencies.

Despite January typically being a period of lower malnutrition rates due to stocked food supplies from December’s harvest, the ongoing war has disrupted agricultural activities, leaving communities vulnerable. Additionally, below-average rainfall has worsened the humanitarian crisis in the region.