Widespread Starvation in War-Torn Sudan, WHO Chief Urges Global Attention

Starvation has become widespread in war-ravaged Sudan, with conditions deteriorating across the country, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described the situation as "very alarming" after visiting Sudan, noting that the displacement crisis in the country is now the largest in the world. Dr. Tedros said more than 12 million people have been displaced, and he pointed out the lack of global attention to Sudan's plight, attributing it partially to race. "The situation in Sudan is not getting the attention it deserves," he emphasized, highlighting the ongoing famine, destruction, and rampant disease throughout the country.

The civil war, which erupted in April 2023 between Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has killed thousands and displaced millions. Dr. Tedros recounted witnessing emaciated children during his visit to an internally displaced persons (IDP) camp and a hospital. “Imagine: destruction, displacement, diseases everywhere, and now famine," he said. With nearly 25 million people—half of Sudan’s population—desperately in need of humanitarian support, Dr. Tedros stressed the dire circumstances, lamenting the lack of media attention. “Race is in play here," he said, noting the disparity in global response between crises in Africa and other parts of the world.

Dr. Tedros, who experienced war firsthand while growing up in Ethiopia, drew parallels between his past and Sudan’s current conflict, saying, “I know the smell, the image, and the sound of war." Sudan has been engulfed in civil war since 2021, following a coup staged by Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, who later turned against each other. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been accused of supplying the RSF with weapons, while Saudi Arabia has been linked to Sudan’s government. Despite multiple mediation efforts led by Saudi Arabia and the US, the conflict persists, with no end in sight. In August, a UN-backed committee declared a famine in a camp near the besieged city of el-Fasher in Darfur, one of the hardest-hit regions, where 500,000 displaced people reside. ⚡ Image Credit: GettyImages