26 April 2022 – On 27 March 2022, Sudan released the findings of the national micronutrient survey conducted in 2019 by the Federal Ministry of Health, national nutrition programme, national public health laboratory and World Health Organization, with support from UNICEF and the World Food Programme. 

The survey was planned as part of the DEVCO food fortification project to provide baseline national and state data on the micronutrient status of women of childbearing age, pregnant women and children to guide evidence-informed decision-making and effective planning of interventions to help prevent micronutrient deficiencies.

Sudan, like many developing countries, experiences high levels of malnutrition, and women and children are often the most vulnerable. Malnutrition is associated with poor physical and mental development in children and reduced work performance in adults.

The survey revealed that 48% of children under 5, almost 30% of women of childbearing age and 36% of pregnant women had anaemia. Anaemia is associated with poor cognitive development, affecting the growth and development of the fetus during pregnancy, and putting the lives of both the mother and child at risk.

Dr Abid Ni’ma Saeed, WHO Representative in Sudan, joined Dr Dalya Eltayeb, Primary Health Care Director General of the Ministry of Health and Ms Mandeep O’Brien UNICEF’s Country Director for Sudan, in an event to announce the findings. Dr Saeed acknowledged the joint achievement of the Ministry in conducting the survey – the first of its kind in almost 30 years – and said that WHO would continue to support the Ministry in preventing and treating malnutrition in Sudan, in collaboration with other line ministries, United Nations agencies, donors, the private sector, civil society organizations, and nongovernmental organizations, to contribute to the eradication of hunger in the country.

Related links

National micronutrient survey 2019 fact sheet

Micronutrient survey summary results