NAIROBI — Amid escalating conflict and acute food shortages, a staggering influx of refugees from Sudan is overwhelming neighboring countries, officials from the World Health Organization said Tuesday.
Dr. Shible Sahbani, WHO’s envoy to Sudan, recounted harrowing tales from recent visits to Chad, where he met displaced Sudanese families driven solely by hunger to flee their homes.
“They say it is not insecurity, it is not a lack of access to basic services, but because they have nothing to eat,” Dr. Sahbani told journalists during a press conference.
The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) highlighted a dire situation in Sudan, revealing that acute food insecurity has reached unprecedented levels. In just six months, the number of severely hungry people has surged from 17.7 million to 25.6 million.
“The risk of famine looms over 14 areas in Darfur, Kordofan, Al Jazirah states, and parts of Khartoum, particularly if the conflict escalates further,” the IPC report cautioned.
Describing the scenes as “disturbing, heartbreaking even,” Dr. Sahbani emphasized that refugees escaping regions like Darfur and Kordofan faced not only hunger but also disease, violence, and a collapse of essential services.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) echoed concerns, noting that Sudan’s conflict has led to a record 12.7 million people being displaced since mid-April 2023. Of these, over 10 million remain displaced within Sudan, while more than 2 million have sought refuge in neighboring nations.
Chad, in particular, has become a sanctuary for over 700,000 Sudanese refugees, with daily arrivals numbering between 500 and 700, according to Sahbani.
“The Chadian government and the people of Adre have shown immense generosity, opening their homes and resources,” Sahbani acknowledged. “Yet, their capacity is stretched to the limit, as these refugees arrive with nothing to sustain themselves.”
The crisis shows no signs of abating, with humanitarian organizations scrambling to address the escalating needs amid ongoing conflict and worsening food insecurity in Sudan.
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