The conflict in Sudan shows no signs of abating after 20 harrowing months, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) reported Friday.
Humanitarian aid is faltering as a surge of refugees into South Sudan strains already fragile border services.
Over 80,000 people have fled to South Sudan in the past three weeks alone, more than tripling prior daily averages.
Most of the displaced are women and children, arriving at remote and hard-to-reach border crossings, said UNHCR Representative Marie-Helene Verney.
“The humanitarian response remains woefully underfunded, with only 24% of needs met this year,” Verney stated at a press briefing.
Since the conflict erupted in April 2023, nearly one million people have sought refuge in South Sudan.
Many recent arrivals are Sudanese and South Sudanese displaced from White Nile State, once considered a haven amidst the chaos.
Refugees are forced to take shelter under trees or in makeshift structures, unwilling to move farther due to hopes of returning home.
However, worsening conditions at border crossings like Joda paint a grim picture of their immediate future.
“Malnutrition rates exceed emergency thresholds, and essential treatments are out of stock,” Verney warned.
Food shortages and inadequate medical supplies are especially dire for children under five and pregnant women.
The absence of clean water, combined with insufficient sanitation facilities, raises fears of cholera outbreaks and other deadly diseases.
Overwhelmed or nonfunctional health facilities offer little relief to those in need.
