The number of people in grave danger of starvation has risen by 50% compared to the same season a decade ago with figures released in 2012 showing 40% of the population was experiencing crisis levels of food insecurity of IPC 3 or higher at that time.
Save the Children is warning this situation will most likely deteriorate in coming months due to ongoing violence, high food prices, climatic shocks, and barriers to humanitarian access, unless urgent national and global action is taken. An estimated 1.4 million children are already suffering from acute malnutrition.
The organisation is calling on the government of South Sudan to curb communal violence and fast track the implementation of the peace deal, to address some of the root causes of the hunger crisis and enable children to look towards a brighter future.
The current total hunger figure includes 2.47 million people at emergency levels of food insecurity (IPC 4) and 31,000 people who facing catastrophic levels of food insecurity (IPC 5) or famine-like conditions. Save the Children is particularly concerned for the wellbeing of some 1.4 million children who are expected to suffer from acute malnutrition this year, the highest figure since 2013. Malnutrition can cause stunting, impede mental and physical development, increase the risk of developing other illnesses, and ultimately cause death.
The warning comes after Save the Children said last month that more than 5.7 million children under five are on the brink of starvation across the globe, with the world is facing the biggest global hunger crisis of the 21st century.
Source: Save the Children
