UN calls for action as famine and disease stalk Sudan
Al JazeeraOct 10
UN: Famine, Disease in Sudan Could Lead to 'Countless' Deaths
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Above: A nurse registers women with children waiting in the shade to receive medical care outside the Italian Pediatric Hospital in Port Sudan on Oct. 8, 2024. Image copyright: Contributor/AFP via Getty Images
The Facts
The UN has warned that in the war-torn North African nation of Sudan, famine and malnutrition, as well as diseases like cholera and a lack of healthcare, could lead to "countless" deaths if humanitarian action isn't taken.
In the capital, Khartoum, 75% of healthcare facilities are reportedly now out of commission, and the country has seen over 20K cases of cholera, resulting in 626 deaths since July. Some 1.4M doses of an oral cholera vaccine have arrived in Sudan, with a rollout expected this week.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
The people of Sudan are helpless in the face of violent warfare, sickness, and famine. If the international community fails to open more humanitarian routes, support local aid groups on the ground — who currently receive a small fraction of what their international counterparts get — and achieve a ceasefire, the situation will only get worse. The UN is right to call attention to this conflict, as billions of dollars are needed to address this crisis.
Establishment-critical narrative
As one of the most agriculturally fertile places in Africa, Sudan should not be facing famine. However, thanks to Western intervention, such as the US-backed secession of what is now called South Sudan to gain control of its oil, Sudan has been turned upside down, with warring factions fighting to fill the political vacuum. As Western elites fund bad-faith operations, and rich countries across the world focus solely on Israel and Palestine, the most powerful governments appear to have no desire to fix the mess they've created.
