Malnutrition in Sudan

Improving maternal, infant and young child nutrition expands opportunities for every child to reach his or her full potential.

Baby gets measured for malnutrition
UNICEF/UNI236324/Noorani

Malnutrition is more than having too little food, malnutrition is a combination of various factors including insufficient protein, energy and micronutrients, frequent infections or disease, poor feeding practices, inadequate health services and unsafe water and sanitation. Malnutrition is preventable, children who are well nourished have a better chance of being healthy, able to develop, learn and be  productive members of their community.

With thanks to our partners, UNICEF Sudan is better able to increase action and focus on nutrition to advance children’s wellbeing.

In Sudan, approximately 3 million children under five suffer from malnutrition annually, out of whom over 610,000 suffer from severe acute malnutrition. 

UNICEF Sudan
Children who are well nourished have a better chance of being healthy, able to develop, learn and be productive. In Sudan, approximately 2.5 million children under five suffer from malnutrition annually, out of whom 700,000 suffer from severe acute malnutrition. Malnutrition is preventable. UNICEF continues to increase action, investment and focus in nutrition to advance children’s wellbeing.

Nutritious diets give children a stronger chance of staying healthy, learning well at school and thriving for years to come.

UNICEF Sudan
We wanted to hear what Sudanese teenagers eat so we asked them. Nutritious diets give children a stronger chance of staying healthy, learning well at school and thriving for years to come. We must ensure every child has access to a nutritious, affordable and sustainable diet so that they can reach their full potential.

Malnutrition is preventable, children who are well nourished have a better chance of being healthy, able to develop, learn and be  productive members of their community.

UNICEF Sudan
Let us take you behind the scenes of a UNICEF-supported focus group discussion in Al Kalakla in Khartoum, where children and young mothers shared with us the diverse ways they access and consume food in their daily lives! Held alongside the Ministry of Health, one of the objectives is to understand how this impacts the health of the family.

Locally-grown Sudanese peanuts contain enough protein, fats and macronutrients to treat children with severe acute malnutrition which is a major cause of death in children under five. 

 

UNICEF Sudan
Sudan is one of the top producers of peanuts, yet it has one of the highest malnutrition rates in the world. Peanuts are high in nutritious supplements that keep children healthy. Watch the Journey of a Peanut and learn how a tiny nut saved a child's life.

Life-saving treatment such as the peanut-based Ready to Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) can ensure even those in the hardest to reach places can make a full recovery.  

UNICEF Sudan
Let us take you on a journey to Ed Dein in East Darfur, to explore how UNICEF Sudan works with local communities and farmers to reduce the high level of severe acute malnutrition in the country.
UNICEFSudan
By using local solutions for local challenges, and available ingredients, children are able to access life-saving treatment such as the peanut-based Ready-To-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) through a health practitioner to treat malnutrition.