Short rations make malnutrition rife among children in Central Darfur camps

In the camps of Central Darfur, displaced children are suffering from malnutrition and lack of food with no health organisations able to provide support. This is proving to be an added affliction, over and above the intense rainfall and deteriorating security situation that residents must cope with each day. A camp leader told Radio Dabanga that there are about 35 children suffering from malnutrition at Camp Khor Ramla and similar cases have been reported in Nertiti, El Salam and other camps south of Nertiti. He pointed out that due to a failure to reach an agreement with the World Food Programme (WFP), food ration distribution was suspended in the camps – a measure that has been in effect for almost two months. “This has created very difficult humanitarian conditions.” “The security situation in Nertiti is not good. Because of the lack of security, of health services, of food, people in Nertiti decided to stage a peaceful demonstration to ask for their humanitarian needs to be met. The demonstration was not held, however, because of warnings and threats by police and security agencies to disperse it.” The sheiks appealed to international organisations to expedite the provision of humanitarian aid, health and tarpaulins as a matter of urgency before a veritable humanitarian disaster erupts in the camps Nertiti. “We urgently need tarpaulins and medicines to address the situation, especially as the rainy season has arrived.” File photo Related: Darfur – WFP rations suspended in El Geneina camp (20 May 2013) ‘Malnutrition spreads’ in Zalingei camps, Central Darfur (2 May 2013)