Online Reporter
KHARTOUM. — The Global Nutrition Cluster warned on Monday that around 4,2 million children and pregnant or breastfeeding women in Sudan are projected to suffer from acute malnutrition in 2026 amid ongoing conflict and the deterioration of basic services.
The report by the UN-led coordination group, estimates that about 8,4 million people will need nutritional assistance in 2026, including 5 million children under the age of five and 3,4 million pregnant and breastfeeding women.
Meanwhile, about 824 000 children under five are projected to suffer from severe acute malnutrition, the most life-threatening form, which dramatically increases mortality risk without urgent interventions.
The Cluster is a coordination mechanism led by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to organise the response to food crises.
It added that among its recent surveys, 31 out of 61 reported a prevalence of global acute malnutrition at 15 percent or higher, exceeding the World Health Organization’s emergency threshold. The global acute malnutrition is a measurement of the nutritional status of a population that is often used in protracted refugee situations.
The report said that the situation is expected to deteriorate further in 2026 due to the expanding conflict, declining food security, and damaged health and water services.
In 2026, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) plans to mobilize nearly US$1 billion to help 13,8 million people in Sudan, including 7,9 million children. — Xinhua
