Civilians across Sudans Kordofan region are facing extreme hardship as conflict intensifies,warned theUN aid coordination office (OCHA) on Wednesday.
The humanitarian crisis in Sudans El Fasher remains dire as mass displacement accelerates and aid access stays restricted, amid warnings of widespread trafficking, sexual violence and the recruitment of children.
The UN Country Team in Sudan met in Khartoum on Monday the first time it has convened in the capital sinceconflicterupted in April 2023.
Communities in Dilling and Kadugli in the south are trapped in siege conditions,according to childrens agency UNICEF. Additionally, there have been reports of sustained attacks in recent days in West Kordofan.
Meanwhile, the situation in and around El Fasher which UN relief chief Tom Fletcher called apotential crime scenefollowing its capture by militia fighters, during his visit last month remains dire. Civilians attempting to escape continue to face grave risks along unsafe routes.
We cannot stress enough that civilians wishing to flee must be afforded safe passage, and they must be able to access humanitarian assistance, said UN Spokesperson Stphane Dujarric at the daily briefing.
Hospitals not spared
The World Health Organization (WHO)warnedthat attacks on healthcare in Sudan continue. Most of Al-Nuhud Hospital in West Kordofan has been overrun, depriving communities of essential medical care.
The UN agency has verified 198 attacks on healthcare since the conflict started in April 2023, killing more than 1,700 health workers and patients and injuring over 400.
Children bear the brunt
In Tawila in North Darfur, where many displaced have sought refuge, the arrival of people who fled El Fasher continues to strain services.
Sites are overcrowded and malnutrition and disease are on the rise.UNICEFregistered nearly 950 separated or unaccompanied children in Tawila and other parts of the region.
According to the UN, partners and state health authorities, the level of child malnutrition in White Nile State is alarming. Over 30 per cent of children are underweight and one in three is stunted in El Jabalain, while limited access to safe water, low vaccination coverage and poor feeding practices, fuel a 13 per cent acute malnutrition rate in Tendelti.
Response remains underfunded
Despite all this,we continue to do everything we can to deliver assistance, Mr. Dujarric stressed.
Over the past month, UNICEF and its partners have provided water for tens of thousands of people, delivering 132,000 litres per day.
They also treated acute malnutrition and provided psychosocial support to over 3,000 youngsters.
With only a few weeks left in the year, however, the humanitarian response plan for Sudan is only 35 per cent funded.
We urge donors to step up and remain committed to supporting the millions of people who are in such a dire need across Sudan, stressed Mr. Dujarric.
