Japan extends $1m to address malnutrition in Sudan’s Darfur

24 / 04 / 2020

By Marwa Nassar - -

Japan extended $ 1 million to address the acute malnutrition of 127,000 infants, mothers and pregnant women in Central and West Darfur states in Sudan.

The funds will go to the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) in Sudan to treat acute malnutrition in Darfur.

“We are extremely grateful for Japan’s support, which will enable WFP to treat acute malnutrition and prevent morbidity and mortality associated with severe acute malnutrition through provision of specialized nutritious foods”, said WFP Sudan Country Director, Dr. Hameed Nuru.

“Nearly 10 percent of young children in West Darfur and over 15 percent of children in Central Darfur are malnourished. Sudan also loses 2.6 percent of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) each year because of childhood undernutrition.”

Nuru said WFP will use Japan’s contribution to purchase 190 tons of supplementary food for children under the age of 5 and pregnant and breastfeeding women who suffer from moderate acute malnutrition in Central and West Darfur States.

The WFP will provide its support through the district health centers along with the Government and other partners.

In Sudan, over 9 million people need humanitarian assistance, of whom 6.2 million are food insecure. This number may increase given the rising humanitarian needs and access to new areas. It is estimated that approximately 2.4 million children are wasted in Sudan.