In the war-torn region of Sudan, a heartbreaking crisis is unfolding at Zamzam Camp in Northern Darfur. Qisma Abdirahman Ali Abubaker, a mother who has already lost three children to disease and malnutrition in the past four months, is just one of the many people struggling to survive in this conflict-ridden area.
The situation at Zamzam Camp is dire, with the medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) reporting that at least one child dies every two hours due to the lack of food, clean water, and healthcare. A recent screening by MSF revealed that three out of every 10 children under five in the camp are acutely malnourished, along with a third of pregnant and breastfeeding mothers.
The crisis is exacerbated by the lack of access to Darfur for humanitarian agencies, as well as the disruption of food supplies and healthcare services by the ongoing war. The World Food Programme has managed to bring in some supplies, but it is far from enough to alleviate the suffering of the people in Zamzam Camp.
In the midst of this immense tragedy, MSF is set to open a 50-bed tent hospital in Zamzam and is urging other international aid agencies to join the effort to provide relief to the vulnerable population. ‘
Without a massive mobilization of humanitarian aid and improved access to the affected areas, the crisis in Zamzam Camp and other parts of Darfur will continue to claim the lives of innocent children and families.
