Over 58,000 children 'face death' in Somalia drought, UN says

Dot Mediano Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Storm clouds loom as a child carries water from a communal borehole near the capital Lilongwe, Malawi February 2, 2016. | REUTERS/Mike Hutchings

The UN has warned that over 50,000 children in Somalia "face death" because of the ongoing drought.

According to BBC, the Humanitarian Office arm of the UN has indicated alarming cases of food security and malnutrition in the African country dur to an El Niño intensified the drought in east and south, greatly affecting large parts of Somaliland and Puntland.

The recent food security and nutrition assessment for Somalia confirms high and alarming levels of food insecurity and malnutrition. An estimated 40% of the 4.7 million population in Somalia need urgent attention and humanitarian assistance.

With nearly 305,000 malnourished children under the age of five, the Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia, Peter de Clercq emphasized serious concern and urgency to act in the rise in the level of malnutrition, especially among children. An estimated 58,300 children will starve to death if not treated immediately. The drought could increase estimated figures in the coming months.

The report released by the FAO-managed Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Unit (FSNAU) in cooperation with Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) counts almost 950,000 people are struggling daily to meet their need for food.

Many people who have long been displaced because of conflict in Africa make up more than two-thirds of those in need of greater help and assistance. With intensifying drought conditions, 3.7 million peopleare estimated to have no food security by mid-2016. Many more people relapsing into crisis are at risk.

In another report by France 24, the 2016 Humanitarian Response Plan for Somalia is appealing for US $885 million additional funding to address most urgent needs and provide basic services.

In neighboring Ethiopia, more than 10.2 million people need food assistance. The UN warned this figure could double within months, leaving a fifth of the population starving. The country has been struggling to fight its worst drought for 30 years.

Parts of Zimbabwe are also struggling due to the drought conditions, declaring the country in a state of disaster.