UNICEF United Nations Children Agency or UNICEF Representative in South Sudan said thousands of children under five years remain at risk of malnutrition-related death despite temporary improvement in the food security situation.
In a statement CRN obtained, Jonathan Veitch said malnutrition especially among young children is not mirroring improvements in food security because of high rates of diseases, lack of safe water and lack of access to basic health care.
He added that diarrhoea and other illnesses prevent children from absorbing nutrients even where there is improved access to food, children could still be malnourished.
Mr Veitch pointed out that those children in conflict-affected areas including 1.4 million internally displaced persons or IDPs are at the most risky condition.
The UNICEF Representative added that by large in IDPs camps, the rates of acute children malnutrition are over 30 percent more than double officially recognized emergency levels.
The latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification analysis projected that 1.5 million people would be in ‘crisis and emergency food insecurity levels’ from September through December.