Cholera and hunger in Sudan: Humanitarian situation in northern Darfur comes to a head

The humanitarian situation for the population in Sudan becomes unbearable. In El Fasher, the capital of the state of North Darfur, around 300,000 people have been trapped for over a year – without access to food, drinking water or medical help. The supply situation is devastating: the local markets have largely collapsed, staple foods are hardly available or unaffordable. Sorghum or wheat cost over 400 percent more in El Fasher than elsewhere in the country. Many families starve, children and the elderly show visible signs of malnutrition.

“Our employees in Nord-Darfur report that the ongoing battles in connection with the cutting off of the city make people’s suffering unbearable. We ask all parties to the conflict to immediately provide safe and unimpeded access to humanitarian aid,” says Mathias Mogge, General Secretary of World Hungry Aid.

In the Tawila region, where around 370,000 people fled after the destruction of the Zamzam refugee camp in April, the number of cholera cases increases. The local teams of Welthungerhilfe report on catastrophic hygienic conditions. There is a lack of latrines, clean water and medical care and the number of cholera cases continues to rise. Welthungerhilfe is one of the few organizations that continue to work in 12 of the 18 districts of Northern Darfurs – both in government troops and RSF controlled areas. Under enormous risks, the employees distribute drinking water and hygiene items and organize cash aids for particularly endangered families. In total, 9 million people in Darfur are urgently dependent on humanitarian aid.

“The critical situation in Sudan, with around 30 million in need of help, exemplarily shows that people are urgently dependent on emergency aid. Germany can and should do more. However, the planned cuts in the household of the Federal Foreign Office under the emergency aid undermine the help options. This should be corrected at short notice. This is all the more important than the Humanitarian aid plan for the Sudan so far only around 20 percent is financed, “emphasizes Mathias Mogge.

Welthungerhilfe has been working in Sudan since 1998. Despite the tense security situation, she is currently implementing 19 projects with local partner organizations – with a focus on nutritional protection, water supply, health, agriculture and emergency aid. The location in camps such as Zamzam, Abushouk and al-Salam as well as in cities such as El Fasher, Mellit and Kutum is particularly critical.

You can find more information at www.welthungerhilfe.de/presse