Healthcare workers at the Al-Himidiyah Internally Displaced People’s (IDP) Camp in Zalingei in Sudan’s Central Darfur State have revealed that between two to four children die of malnutrition daily.
Abdullah Tirab, a healthcare worker in Block 3 of Al-Himidiyah Camp, told Radio Tamazuj that there are significant deaths among children and the elderly due to hunger and malnutrition.
“The death toll reaches up to four per day and the scenario has remained the same for months,” he said.
Tirab called on international organizations to provide nutritional biscuits to save the children’s lives.
Meanwhile, Saif El-Din Abdullah Haroun, a youth leader in the camp, said the camp had not received food rations since late last year.
“Hunger has spread in the camp since December 2023 after organizations stopped bringing relief aid,” he said.
An IDP in the camp, Hawa Mohammed Adam Ahmed, said it was difficult for lactating mothers to breastfeed their infants due to lack of food.
“Due to hunger and thirst, breastfeeding women are not able to breastfeed their babies, leading to children crying due to starvation,” she lamented. “Additionally, there is a severe shortage of medicines.”
Another displaced person who only identified as Hajjah complained about the high prices of commodities in the market, where a measure of millet costs 5,000 Sudanese Pounds, grinding it costs another 1,000, and a kilogram of meat costs 5,000.
“The displaced persons have no sources of income as employment opportunities outside the camp have ceased due to the ongoing battles between the Sudan Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces.