Humanitarian conditions have deteriorated at Kalma displacement camp amid warnings of potential famine, prompting calls for urgent intervention. The General Coordination of Displaced Persons and Refugees in Darfur has reported alarming indicators of worsening food insecurity and rising risks of hunger and malnutrition, driven by a severe shortage of humanitarian assistance, soaring prices of basic commodities and living costs, and the failure of the agricultural season due to declining rainfall.
Located in Belail locality, approximately 17 kilometres from Nyala, the capital of South Darfur State, Kalma camp is one of the largest and oldest displacement camps in Darfur and Sudan.
Established in 2004, following the outbreak of the first Darfur war in 2003, the camp hosts hundreds of thousands of internally displaced people.
Adam Rijal, the official spokesperson for the General Coordination of Displaced Persons and Refugees, explained that “indicators of hunger are not limited to Kalma camp alone. Rather, the camp represents a model reflecting aspects of the deteriorating humanitarian situation in other displacement camps across Darfur, where similar crises persist, including food shortages, declining healthcare services, rising living costs, as well as the consequences of drought and the failure of the agricultural season. This points to a widespread humanitarian crisis requiring an urgent and comprehensive response for all affected communities.”
According to the Coordination, health centres in the camp have recorded alarming health indicators, with approximately 2,750 cases of child malnutrition reported in a single month. Malaria, acute diarrhoea, typhoid and anaemia are also widespread, amid shortages of medicines and essential medical supplies needed to provide healthcare services.
