Sudan Humanitarian Update (7 October 2023) [EN/AR]

HIGHLIGHTS

• Since fighting started in mid-April, about 5.5 million people have fled their homes and sought refuge within Sudan or in neighbouring countries.

• The Sudan Ministry of Health reports that 1,265 people have been killed and 8,396 injured due to the fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces.

• Disease outbreaks have been reported nationwide including measles, malaria, dengue fever and cholera.

• In Aj Jazirah State, 245 primary schools, five secondary schools and 25 education facilities are currently inhabited by displaced people, affecting attendance when schools open.

• The Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan condemned the killing of displaced civilians caught in the crossfire during fighting in or near residential areas.

• The revised 2023 Sudan Humanitarian Response Plan appeal is only 32.8 per cent funded as of 5 October.

SITUATION OVERVIEW

Fighting in Sudan continues to displace civilians. An estimated 5.5 million people have fled their homes since fighting erupted in mid-April between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). They have sought refuge within Sudan or in neighbouring countries.

According to the International Organization for Migration Displacement Tracking Matrix (IOM DTM) Snapshot 5, about 4.4 people have been displaced within Sudan since the fighting began. Those displaced have sought refuge in 4,403 locations—an increase of 323 new locations since 27 September—across all of Sudan’s 18 states. IOM reports that people have been displaced from eight states, with the majority - about 3 million people (68 per cent of all internally displaced) - originally from Khartoum. Most newly displaced have sought refuge in River Nile followed by South Darfur, East Darfur, Aj Jazirah, Northern and North Darfur states. About 1.1 million people have crossed into neighbouring Central African Republic (CAR), Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia and South Sudan as of 1 October, according to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR).

According to the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) as of 8 September 1,265 people have been killed, 8,396 others have been injured, while an additional 6,177 people have been injured due to causes indirectly linked to the fighting between SAF and RSF, reports the World Health Organization (WHO). This is based on reports received from health facilities, but the actual number of casualties is likely much higher.

According to the latest WHO Sudan Health Emergency Situation Report, several disease outbreaks have been reported.

More than 70 per cent of health facilities in states affected by conflict are not working, resulting in extremely limited – and sometimes no – access to health care for millions of people. WHO reports 4,123 suspected measles cases with 107 associated deaths across 12 of Sudan’s 18 states (Aj Jazirah, Blue Nile, East Darfur, Gedaref, Kassala, Khartoum, North Darfur, Red Sea, River Nile, Sennar, West Kordofan, and White Nile). The largest number of suspected measles cases has been reported in White Nile, with 3,117 cases and 98 associated deaths as of 22 September. 736,507 clinical malaria cases and 22 associated deaths are reported across 12 states, while suspected dengue fever cases have reached 4,097 with 13 associated deaths. Suspected cholera cases have been reported in Gedaref, South Kordofan and Khartoum states with 817 cases and 35 associated deaths as of 29 September. The Federal Ministry of Health declared a cholera outbreak in Gedaref State on 26 September, where 264 suspected cases - of which 80 have been confirmed through rapid diagnostic tests - and 16 associated deaths have been reported. Acute watery diarrhoea (AWD) cases have also been registered in Khartoum and South Kordofan. Still, limited access and the inability to send samples to laboratories have prevented authorities from confirming if it is cholera.

The number of acutely food insecure people in Sudan is projected to reduce by about 5.3 million from October and remain at about 15 million up to February 2024, according to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC).
This coincides with the pre-harvest and harvest period between October 2023 and January 2024. According to the IPC, the food security situation is expected to improve slightly compared to July – September 2023, the peak lean season. The states of Central Darfur, Khartoum, South Darfur, and West Darfur – most affected by the conflict since mid-April – will account for 6.3 million (42 per cent) acutely food insecure people during the next five months (October 2023 – February 2024).

On 3 October, the Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) completed the distribution of 40 metric tons (MT) of food aid to 1,000 families (about 5,000 people) in Atbara and Ad Damar localities, River Nile State, who were affected by flooding or conflict between SAF and RSF. The distribution of the two-week food parcels—containing sugar, tea, vegetable oil, rice, lentils, and flour—in coordination with the Sudanese Red Crescent Society (SRCS). Non-food items were also distributed to the affected families.

The Refugee Consultation Forum (RCF) reports that between 15 April and 4 October, an estimated 191,300 refugees have moved from conflict hotspots to safer areas in Sudan, of whom 82 per cent are South Sudanese. About 145,200 refugees have arrived in White Nile State, mainly from Khartoum. The influx of refugees into the White Nile has led to overcrowding in camps, where resource gaps have reduced the partners' capacity to respond effectively. Since mid-April until the end of September, RCF partners have delivered at least one form of assistance to 732,328 refugees across 12 states, including at least one full food ration for 521,098 people. Protection assistance continues to be prioritized, including protection outreach, establishing protection desks and hotlines, training service providers, case management for children and gender-based violence (GBV) survivors, mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS), and family reunification and tracing. On September 11 RCF partners provided multi-cluster response to refugees from South Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea and others in seven states.

Since July, about 72,000 people in 17 localities across seven states have been affected by heavy rains and flooding, according to the 2023 Sudan Floods Dashboard. The most affected state is Northern (34,000 people), followed by River Nile (19,000), Noth Darfur (13,000), Gedaref (2,000), White Nile (2,000), North Kordofan (1,000), and South Kordofan (1,000) states. Reports indicate that at least 5,717 homes have been destroyed and 6,611 damaged. At least 5,717 homes have been destroyed and 6,611 damaged. In 2022, 349,000 people were affected by heavy rains and flooding across 16 of Sudan’s 18 states. At least 24,860 homes were destroyed, and 48,250 homes were damaged.