In a Sudanese hospital, emaciated mothers cradle starving toddlers, their sunken eyes pleading for help. With war raging for nearly two years, food and medicine have all but disappeared. Doctors ration milk, families struggle to survive, and aid cuts threaten to make the crisis even deadlier.
In a nutrition ward at a hospital in Sudan's war-stricken capital, gaunt mothers lie next to even thinner toddlers with wide, sunken eyes.
The patients at Alban Jadeed Hospital are in urgent need of help after nearly two years of battles that have trapped residents and cut off supplies, but doctors have to ration the therapeutic milk and other products used to treat them.
The war that erupted in April 2023 from a power struggle between Sudan's army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has created what the United Nations calls the world's largest and most devastating humanitarian crisis.
About half of Sudan's population of 50 million now suffer some degree of acute hunger, and famine has taken hold in at least five areas, including several parts of North Darfur State in western Sudan.
The real situation could be worse, since fighting has prevented proper data collection in many areas, medics and aid staff say.
In Sudan's greater capital, where the cities of Khartoum, Omdurman and Bahri are divided by the Nile, the warring factions have prevented deliveries of aid and commercial supplies, pushing the prices of goods beyond most people's reach.
Alban Jadeed Hospital, in Bahri's Sharg Elnil district, received more than 14,000 children under five years old suffering from severe acute malnutrition last year, and another 12,000 with a more mild form, said Azza Babiker, head of the therapeutic nutrition department.
Only 600 of the children tested were a normal weight, she said.
The supply of therapeutic formula milk via U.N. children's agency UNICEF and medical aid agency MSF is insufficient, Babiker said, as RSF soldiers twice stole the supplies.
Both sides deny impeding aid deliveries.
The sharp reduction of USAID funding is expected to make things worse, hitting the budgets of aid agencies that provide crucial nutritional supplies as well as community kitchens relied upon by many, aid workers say.
The army recently captured Sharg Elnil from the RSF, as part of recent gains it has made across the capital.
Fruit and vegetables have become extremely scarce. "Aside from the difficulty of getting these products in, not all families can afford to buy them," Babiker said.
Many mothers are unable to produce milk, often due to trauma resulting from RSF attacks, or their own malnutrition, said Raneen Adel, a doctor at Alban Jadeed.
"There are cases who come in dehydrated ... because for example the RSF entered the house and the mother was frightened so she stopped producing breast milk, or she was beaten," she said.
The RSF did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
A lack of nutrition and sanitation has led to cases of blood poisoning and other illnesses, but the hospital has also run out of antibiotics.
"We had to tell the patients' companions to get (the drugs) from outside, but they can't afford to buy them," Adel said.
Beijing has criticized Washington's pressure tactics, warning that threats and coercion are not conducive to resolving trade tensions between the two countries.
Kyrgyz and Azerbaijani cultural ministers signed a 2025–2026 roadmap to deepen bilateral cooperation during a meeting in Bishkek.
On April 23, President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan and President Xi Jinping of China convened an expanded meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for April 23rd, covering the latest developments you need to know.
In India’s deadliest terrorist attack in nearly two decades, 26 people were killed and 17 injured when suspected militants opened fire on tourists in the Kashmir region, triggering national outrage and renewed concerns over security in the volatile territory.
On April 23, a ceremony for the signing of documents between Azerbaijan and China was held in Beijing, with the participation of Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and Xi Jinping, President of the People’s Republic of China.
Beijing has criticized Washington's pressure tactics, warning that threats and coercion are not conducive to resolving trade tensions between the two countries.
The “Joint Statement on the Establishment of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the People’s Republic of China” was signed in Beijing on April 23 during the state visit of President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev to China.
Kyrgyz and Azerbaijani cultural ministers signed a 2025–2026 roadmap to deepen bilateral cooperation during a meeting in Bishkek.
The Holy Fire ceremony stands as one of Christianity's most enduring and mysterious rituals, drawing thousands of pilgrims to Jerusalem each year.
Pope Francis's relationship with Azerbaijan has evolved significantly over the years, characterized by diplomatic exchanges, promotion of religious tolerance, and peace advocacy in the Caucasus region.
Severe rainfall on April 17 led to flooding and landslides in the Piedmont region, prompting a large-scale emergency response from over 400 firefighters.
China has rolled out the world’s first 10-gigabit (10G) fixed broadband network in Xiong'an New Area, promising ultra-fast speeds and low latency through cutting-edge optical infrastructure.
Pope Francis, the first Latin American pope and a transformative figure in the Roman Catholic Church, has passed away at the age of 88, the Vatican confirmed in a video statement on Monday.
Bulgaria has seen a sharp rise in diseases transmitted by ticks and mosquitoes, including Lyme disease and West Nile fever, with health authorities warning of an urgent need for stricter pest control measures.
Israeli and British scientists have developed a breakthrough blood test capable of detecting Parkinson’s disease in its earliest stages—before symptoms even begin—potentially revolutionizing diagnosis and treatment.
China State Shipbuilding Corporation’s Haishen Medical Technology Co has developed the world’s first emergency medical rescue drone to enhance disaster response capabilities in extreme environments.
The European Commission is preparing to adopt emergency measures to curb the spread of bird flu in Poland’s Masovian and Greater Poland regions, where 73 outbreaks have occurred in two months. These steps aim to protect public health and the poultry industry amid growing concerns.
Kyrgyzstan has joined the TB-Free Central Asia initiative, a regional effort launched by the World Health Organization (WHO) and five Central Asian countries to eliminate tuberculosis and drug-resistant TB by 2030.
On April 23, a ceremony for the signing of documents between Azerbaijan and China was held in Beijing, with the participation of Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and Xi Jinping, President of the People’s Republic of China.
Beijing has criticized Washington's pressure tactics, warning that threats and coercion are not conducive to resolving trade tensions between the two countries.
The “Joint Statement on the Establishment of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the People’s Republic of China” was signed in Beijing on April 23 during the state visit of President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev to China.
Kyrgyz and Azerbaijani cultural ministers signed a 2025–2026 roadmap to deepen bilateral cooperation during a meeting in Bishkek.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment