UNICEF condemns looting of medical supplies in Sudan, warns of child deaths

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has condemned the looting of humanitarian supplies from Al Bashair Hospital in Jabal Awlia, Khartoum, warning that the act endangers thousands of children suffering from malnutrition and expectant mothers in need of care.

The stolen supplies, reported on Friday, included at least 2,200 cartons of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF), a crucial treatment for children battling Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM).

UNICEF said the loss of these supplies has put more than 2,000 children in immediate danger, worsening an already dire situation in a region where conflict has blocked access to food, medicine, and humanitarian aid for over three months.

Al Bashair Hospital was one of the last remaining medical facilities in Jabal Awlia, making its looting a devastating blow to civilians already struggling to survive.

Thousands remain trapped in the conflict, while more than 4,000 people have been forced to flee within Khartoum.

“Stealing life-saving supplies meant for malnourished children is outrageous and a direct attack on their survival,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell.

“These unconscionable acts against vulnerable children must end. All parties must adhere to international humanitarian law, protect civilians, and ensure safe and unhindered humanitarian access to those in need,” she added.

According to the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) update, Jabal Awlia is among 17 areas at risk of famine.

UNICEF warned that the loss of these medical and nutritional supplies could be catastrophic for more than 100,000 acutely malnourished children.

The stolen shipment also contained iron and folic acid supplements meant for 6,000 pregnant and lactating women, as well as midwife kits and primary healthcare supplies that could have supported over 132,980 mothers, newborns, and children.

Medical services in the area were already scarce before the looting, making the situation even more desperate.

The supplies had been delivered on December 20, 2024, in what was the first successful humanitarian shipment to Jabal Awlia in more than 18 months.

However, the growing insecurity has now forced a suspension of humanitarian operations, leaving children and their families without critical aid.

Sudan is currently experiencing one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

More than 24.6 million people over half the country’s population are facing acute food insecurity.

The collapse of healthcare services, school closures affecting 17 million children, and mass displacement have made the situation even worse.