In the midst of an escalating humanitarian crisis, Sudan is witnessing devastating levels of malnutrition among its children, reflecting the profound impact of ongoing conflict and economic hardships. As families struggle to access nutritious food due to war and displacement, the dire circumstances demand urgent intervention and support. The plight of young Adam and his mother Layla Ali highlights the urgent need for improved nutritional education and healthcare access in the face of this ongoing crisis.
Port Sudan, Sudan – After a two-and-a-half-hour journey from the village of al-Lalouba, Layla Ali arrived in Port Sudan with her five-year-old son, Adam, seeking critical medical assistance. Adam’s visible malnutrition, marked by protruding ribs, transpired after he developed a loss of appetite and became too weak to move, prompting Layla to confront her fears about the costly hospital treatments. Ultimately, the urgency of Adam’s deteriorating condition compelled her to seek help, emphasizing a tragic reality faced by many families in Sudan where the rising cost of health care often acts as a barrier to seeking timely medical intervention.
“During our five-day hospital stay, I learned about the nutritious foods appropriate for Adam’s age, as he previously had only been consuming our usual meals of porridge and milk,” Layla explained. The necessary treatment was crucial, considering Adam’s history of recurring bouts of malnutrition. His case is emblematic of a broader crisis afflicting children throughout Sudan, where conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has continued unabated since April 2023.
The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) projects that by 2026, 825,000 children under five in Sudan are expected to suffer from severe acute malnutrition, marking a troubling increase from the previous year. Within the first half of 2023, UNICEF and its partners managed to treat 174,700 children nationwide, while the Port Sudan Teaching Hospital alone recorded 433 malnutrition cases between January and August of this year.
Maryam Gadalsid, a nutrition counselor at the hospital, reported a troubling increase in admissions for malnutrition, with medical staff often having to accommodate several children to a single bed. This overcrowding significantly increases the risk of disease transmission among patients. “Each child is assessed before they receive essential supplies, including therapeutic milk and nutritional products, which are provided at no cost, thanks to support from the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF,” she stated. However, families often face financial challenges for necessary intravenous fluids and medicine, further exacerbated by ongoing economic troubles tied to the conflict.
Malnutrition among pregnant women compounds the crisis, endangering the health of newborns and perpetuating the cycle of poor nutrition. As winter approaches, the prevalence of malnutrition cases is expected to rise, influenced by an increase in disease-carrying flies and mosquitoes.
The conditions are particularly dire in the Darfur region, where decades of conflict have undermined stability. In North Darfur, UNICEF reported at least 40,000 malnutrition cases from January to May in 2025 alone, with the RSF’s siege of the region exacerbating an already desperate humanitarian situation. The situation worsens as impoverished families struggle for resources to provide sufficient nutrition.
In nearby Blue Nile State, malnutrition cases have climbed alarmingly among displaced children, as evidence shows the incidence rising from 1,800 in September to 2,116 by November 2023. The al-Karama 3 displacement camp, home to over 7,600 children, exemplifies the deteriorating conditions faced by families who fled from conflict zones in western Blue Nile State. Sabri Adam, deputy head of the camp’s management committee, pointed to the urgent needs of these displaced families amidst limited humanitarian support and dwindling resources.
Furthermore, as famine risks loom in Greater Darfur and Greater Kordofan due to ongoing conflict and severe drought, the El Niño climate phenomenon has restricted rainfall throughout Sudan, adversely impacting agricultural production. According to the IPC, nearly two-thirds of farmland in North Darfur faced poor vegetation growth, leading to dwindling harvests and soaring food prices.
As the crisis continues to unfold, Dr. Ahmed Youssef, medical director of the pediatric department at Port Sudan Teaching Hospital, warned that the increasing malnutrition cases result from a complex interplay of war, displacement, and limited nutritional awareness among families. Many families in rural areas rely heavily on flour and milk, typically lacking essential food items like meat. “Educating families about basic nutrition is vital to tackling the problem, although reaching many rural areas remains a significant challenge,” he stated.
Inadequate food storage and supply, driven by unreliable electricity and a lack of refrigeration, further hampers families’ ability to provide safe and nutritious meals for their children. Tragically, many children are brought to hospitals only after their malnutrition has reached critical levels—often due to economic constraints or lack of education about the severity of their situation.
The ongoing suffering faced by Sudanese families compels immediate attention and action to address the deepening malnutrition crisis, ultimately striving towards a healthier future for the country’s children and families.
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