Child deaths rising among displaced in Tawila, North Darfur

Poor healthcare and lack of nutrition have led to a rise in deaths among children in the new Rwanda (B) camp in Tawila, North Darfur, over the past five months.

The new nutrition official of the camp, Abdel Mahmoud Seifuldin Sharif, told radio Dabanga that food shortages and lack of health care have led to a marked rise in child mortality rates, but could not give exact numbers.

He appealed to humanitarian organisations to provide food and medicine to save the lives of these children.

Omda Musa Muktar Bosh, the Coordinator of Tawila camps, partially blamed the former nutrition administrator of the came, who has since been dismissed, for “misuse of some of the foodstuffs destined for children”.

He also pointed out that some mothers are forced to sell their food rations at the market, out of sheer financial need. This impacts negatively on the children’s health.

Omda Bosh says that cases of malaria have been reported in the camp, and urges families to bring their children to the health centre for treatment.