James Alder, spokesman for the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), painted a bleak picture of the future of 24 million children in Sudan, due to the repercussions resulting from the war that has been going on there for more than 5 months.
Alder said in response to questions sent by Sky News Arabia via email that there is a significant increase in child deaths due to armed clashes and malnutrition. Pointing out that there are great risks facing the future of more than 19 million children due to the closure of educational institutions and the inability to attend schools.
According to a UNICEF spokesperson, the callous disregard for civilians and the continuing attacks on health services; It puts the lives of thousands of newborns at risk of death during the next three months.
He explained, “333,000 children will be born in Sudan between October and December, and they and their mothers will need skilled care at birth, something that is less likely to happen, due to millions being trapped in war zones, or being forced to flee in light of a serious shortage of medical supplies.”
In light of the current security conditions that Sudan is experiencing due to the war; Many pregnant women find it extremely difficult to reach hospitals, which sometimes leads to death or serious complications for themselves and their newborns.
In the context; Howaida Muhammad Al-Hassan, a consultant in obstetrics and gynecology, told Sky News Arabia that the lack of health care and difficulty in reaching hospitals expose pregnant women to great risks.
UNICEF also warned of the devastation of nutrition and primary care services at a time when more than 55,000 children each month need treatment for the most deadly forms of malnutrition. Noting that 98 percent of the nutrition centers in the capital, Khartoum, and 90 percent in Darfur, in the west of the country, have stopped working.
One of the major risks facing child rescue operations in Sudan is that front-line workers, including teachers, doctors, and nurses, have not received their salaries for months. In a country where the inflation rate is 200%.
UNICEF expressed its deep concern about the failure to open schools in Sudan, which is already facing one of the largest learning crises in the world. With more than 12 million waiting for schools to reopen and 7 million who were not able to attend school at all.
Shocking numbers
- 435 children were killed during the current clashes in the capital, Khartoum, and areas of the Darfur region.
- 75 percent shortfall in the funding required to cover the needs needed to reach nearly 10 million children, estimated at $838 million.
- 12 million children are waiting for the opening of schools closed due to the ongoing war since mid-April in the capital, Khartoum, and a number of other regions of the country.
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