Escalating Sudan Conflict Spurs Unprecedented Humanitarian Crisis

ABSTRACT

More than 13.6 million children, the biggest number ever recorded in the nation, urgently require humanitarian assistance as the violence in Sudan continues. The effects of continued violence continue to endanger the lives and prospects of families and children, cutting off basic services and resulting in the closure, damage, or destruction of numerous medical facilities.

This article helps in providing a background as to how the conflict is affecting Sudan as well as its neighboring countries. It talks in detail about the diseases outbreaks and several other regional crisis. Successful humanitarian aid provided by UNICEF and other agencies is highlighted at the end.

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Introduction

Sudan faces a dire situation as hunger, disease and displacement put the nation at risk of devastation. Escalation of conflict in the country is contributing to what Martin Griffiths, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, describes as “a humanitarian emergency of epic proportion”.

He said in his statement, “the longer this fighting continues, the more devastating its impact is going to be”.

According to him, Kordofan is now affected by the fighting that has been wreaking havoc in Darfur and the capital Khartoum since April 15. He claimed that food supplies in South Kordofan's capital, Kadugli, "have been completely depleted" and that "crashes and roadblocks are preventing aid workers from reaching the hungry."

According to him, "hundreds of thousands of children are already severely malnourished and face a real risk of death if treatment is not provided." He added, "Millions more will see their education replaced by the devastating traumas of war and become a lost generation."

Diseases Outbreak

Infectious diseases are already on the rise, both in Sudan and among individuals who have fled to nearby nations. The effects came quickly. Nearly 10 states are currently affected by a major measles outbreak in Sudan, which has also resulted in more than 300 cases of acute watery diarrhea and seven fatalities. Yellow fever and malaria have been documented in CAR. Measles and severe acute malnutrition are on the rise in South Sudan. As the rainy season approaches and vaccination coverage declines, the risk only increases.

Since many of these countries already host a significant population of displaced persons from previous long conflicts, it is difficult for the countries to which the refugees arrive to cope with the unexpected influx of people.

Regional Crisis

Gunshot wounds and trauma: Many people cross the border with gunshot wounds or other trauma and need immediate medical attention. WHO and partners have treated more than 1,400 trauma patients in Chad, including more than 60 major procedures.

Child malnutrition and Lack of immunisation: About 8,000 of the more than 68,000 refugees who have crossed into Ethiopia are under the age of five, and many do not have access to vaccinations and are malnourished. These children have higher rates of acute malnutrition and may not receive basic vaccinations.

Mental Health and Gender-based violence: WHO specialists emphasized the need for mental health assistance, especially for women and girls who experienced this type of abuse during the conflict. At the border in Ethiopia, there is a clinical psychologist who works with border patrol agents trained to address gender-based violence. Within three days of the outbreak of the conflict, a site was designated in Egypt to offer mental health treatment. There are still more than 4 million women and girls who are vulnerable to sexual and other forms of abuse.

Source: WHO

Polio: By sending samples for testing to Egypt and Chad, cross-border collaboration between public health professionals helps maintain polio surveillance. The strengthening of cross-border activities is, according to Dr. Magdalene Armah, WHO AFRO Incident Manager for the Sudan Crisis, necessary to deliver health care to vulnerable communities, particularly strengthening immunization and disease surveillance.

Non-communicable diseases: People who suffer from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) including diabetes, cancer or kidney disease need access to life-saving medical care. 110 border crossings into Egypt in the first three weeks required renal dialysis. In the first month, 10 tons of crucial NCD drugs were provided. Many of the host towns are struggling, Griffiths emphasized, and "a protracted conflict in Sudan could tip the entire region into a humanitarian catastrophe."

Humanitarian Aid

Children will suffer dire, long-term consequences from displacement, lack of basic social services and protection unless there is a rapid and comprehensive humanitarian response.

To address other urgent requirements, such as scaling up treatment for more than 620,000 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition, half of whom are at risk of death if not treated in time, the entire challenge has been strengthened by $253 million.

"Despite challenges with humanitarian access and security due to the active conflict UNICEF continues to deliver in Sudan and together with partners we have been able to deliver much-needed health, water and sanitation and nutrition supplies across the country," said Khodr.

To be more precise, UNICEF has been successful in:

1. Delivering 2300 metric tons of supplies for health, nutrition, water and sanitation, education, and child protection to states around the nation and the displaced people in Madani.

2. Maintaining vaccine services throughout 12 states by safeguarding vaccine supplies and delivery as well as safeguarding and monitoring the cold chain system. Since the most recent war began on April 15th, the Polio Zero Dose has been administered to at least 244,000 youngsters.

3. Maintaining more than 80% of the malnutrition treatment programs (OTPs) for severely wasted children across Sudan.

4. Delivery of 1,440 cartons of RUTF (ready-to-use Therapeutic Food) and other supplies to approximately 300 children at the orphanage center in Khartoum. These children would have a very high mortality rate without such care.

5. Supply of safe water for 104,000 people through water trucks, operation and maintenance of water supply infrastructure and rehabilitation of water supply facilities; reach 92,000 people with important hygiene messages and hygiene-related non-food items; and provision of latrines for 1,000 internally displaced persons.

6. It provided psychosocial support to at least 5,500 children and their parents affected by the unrest in Sudan. Monitoring mechanisms were also put in place and activated to report and criticize violence against children.

7. Maintaining 356 Alternative Learning Program (ALP) centers in 10 states, including West Darfur, and providing safe places to learn for 16,812 girls and boys.

8. Running 42 e-learning centers with 2,520 girls and boys in East Darfur, Kassala, Red Sea, South Darfur and White Nile, as well as a child-friendly area in Port Sudan with 117 children.

“We stay. We try to deliver as much as we can, whenever we can,” said Jens Laerke, deputy spokesperson for the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

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*This article was authored by Mehak Mann, Student from Symbiosis Law School, Noida and reviewed by Shreya Doneriya, Student from Symbiosis Law School, Noida.