Ikhlas Ahmed Makki, a nutrition counsellor at the Ministry of Health in Sudan’s South Darfur, has revealed a deeply concerning situation at the Sheikh Musa Health Center in Nyala’s Dereij neighbourhood. Between four and six children are tragically losing their lives each day due to malnutrition, she said.
Ikhlas Ahmed Makki told Radio Tamazuj on Sunday that the center receives over 150 malnourished children daily, ranging from critical cases to moderate ones. She described the dire circumstances, stating, “Immediately upon a child’s arrival, we weigh them and find out that some of them weigh only four kilograms, while the normal weight of a child is 8 kilograms.”
Despite the high influx of patients, the center is lacking essential supplies. According to Ikhlas, there are no longer biscuits and milk, which were previously distributed for free by organizations to nutrition centers. This has been the case since the outbreak of conflict between the army and the Rapid Support Forces.
Ikhlas emphasized that they offer guidance to mothers on making carbohydrates from rice, but many of these mothers cannot afford the cost of rice. She added, “If the child is of breastfeeding age, we advise the mother to continue breastfeeding while feeding herself.”
Dr. Esam Mohammed Abdallah, a medical doctor in Nyala town, described the overall health situation as catastrophic. He pointed out that all treatment centers have stopped providing services, affecting people with chronic diseases and maternity cases.
In the absence of hospitals, childbirth complications have become a major problem. Dr. Mohammed explained, “It was a major problem facing women who gave birth by caesarean section.”
Moreover, children in Nyala have not received vaccination doses against the six childhood diseases for over six months due to the ongoing conflict. Some families have been forced to travel to the city of El Daein to access the necessary vaccinations.
Despite the challenges, residents of Al-Jabal and Dereij neighbourhoods have made commendable efforts to open two health centers recently. In an attempt to alleviate concerns, the Rapid Support Forces expressed their readiness to provide aid to one of the centers. However, local residents initially feared that this support might make the center a target for Sudan Armed Forces’ strikes and lead to accusations of collusion or support for the Rapid Support Forces.
An informed source assured the public that these health centers are safe, stating, “Patients see the doctor for a nominal fee of only 500, and the medicine is dispensed for free because the Rapid Support Forces are responsible for the medicines.”
These centers now provide essential medical services, including minor surgeries such as caesarean sections, hernia repairs, and curettage –a procedure performed for various reasons, such as diagnosing or treating abnormal uterine bleeding, removing tissue after a miscarriage, or as part of an evaluation for certain gynaecological conditions –to address various medical needs, particularly in light of the current crisis.