Sudan is a one of eastern African countries, where in 1993, the Ministry of Health and the National Nutrition Department (NND)

conducted a comprehensive nutrition survey in the states most affected by nutritional problems and displacement. The numbers of children covered by the survey in the selected states were 3600. The overall rate of malnutrition was found to be 19.6% (6.80% severe, 12.8% moderate).
According to the Sudan simple special survey methodology (S3M) survey which is conducted jointly by UNICEF and MOH in 2013, there is a mix of very different realities across the country with high levels of stunting (chronic malnutrition) and low levels of coverage for safe water and sanitation in some areas. Poor feeding practice is a problem across the country, with localities in Kassala and Gedarif states among the most critical. The Eastern region and the three Kordofan states have the lowest coverage of safe drinking water and sanitation facilities, while the Red Sea, Blue Nile and the Darfur region show the highest prevalence of diarrhoea. The good news is that the use of iodized salt has improved, reaching over 90% of households in some localities in Red Sea, South Darfur, Blue Nile and Kassala .
Sudan is currently facing three different onset emergencies requiring immediate response, including the Acute Watery Diarrhoea (AWD) outbreak in Gedarif, White Nile, Khartoum, Sennar, River Nile state, North Kordofan and Gezira, severe malnutrition in the Jebel Marra area, and the continued influx of South Sudanese refugees, of which around 65 per cent are children.
During the month of May 2017, suspected AWD cases reached 4,394 including 1,243 children in White Nile State. There were 75 deaths in 9 localities with a case fatality rate of 1.7 per cent. UNICEF has been taking immediate action to support the Government’s response in Health, Nutrition, WASH and Communication for Development (C4D).
In the Jebel Marra area of Central Darfur, a recent survey showed critical levels of acute malnutrition with Global Acute malnutrition (GAM) rate of 15.7 per cent and severe acute malnutrition (SAM) of 5 per cent. UNICEF is taking the lead with Federal and State-level Ministry of Health in mobilizing an inter-sectoral response to approximately 200,000 displaced or newly returned people, including an estimated 120,000 children.
The influx of South Sudanese refugees to Sudan continues to increase. From January to mid-May 2017, more than 136,962 South Sudanese refugees have arrived into Sudan, including approximately 89,000 children. (65 per cent) The new arrivals in May were mainly in the White Nile, South Kordofan, East and South Darfur States.
In East Darfur alone, 41,978 South Sudanese refugees have newly arrived since January. The current cumulative number of refugees in the state is 94,961. Nearly half of the current refugee population has arrived in the state only during the last 5 month.
According to the Sudan simple special survey methodology (S3M) survey which is conducted jointly by UNICEF and MOH in 2013, there is a mix of very different realities across the country with high levels of stunting (chronic malnutrition) and low levels of coverage for safe water and sanitation in some areas. Poor feeding practice is a problem across the country, with localities in Kassala and Gedarif states among the most critical. The Eastern region and the three Kordofan states have the lowest coverage of safe drinking water and sanitation facilities, while the Red Sea, Blue Nile and the Darfur region show the highest prevalence of diarrhoea. The good news is that the use of iodized salt has improved, reaching over 90% of households in some localities in Red Sea, South Darfur, Blue Nile and Kassala .
The prevalence of malnutrition imposes significant costs on the Sudanese economy as well as society. The high mortality due to malnutrition leads to the loss of the economic potential of the child. It affects children in many ways, predisposing them to different infectious diseases, psychosocial mal-development, and cognitive deficiencies. The cost of hospital admission and treatment in addition to parental days off work should not be ignored.
Reducing malnutrition and its consequences is a global and development goal as stated by the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the Sudan Growth and Development Strategy (SGDS).This study targets the latter by providing information that may assist in improving current available services for treatment of severe malnutrition.