MOGADISHU (Halbeeg News) – A shortage of funds may force the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to reduce the size of food rations temporarily for about half a million people living in Somalia, the agency warned on Saturday.
The spokesman for the WFP, Tomson Phiri stated that funding shortages are putting vital nutrition programs at risk saying malnutrition rates are rising, undermining previous gains made in reducing the number of children suffering from it.
“Without these programs, you are talking of up to 840,000 children who are expected to suffer from moderate acute malnutrition, 143,000 from severe acute malnutrition, and 51,000 are at risk of dying,” Phiri said.
Mid this month, the UN on Friday warned deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Somalia due to water shortage, which has displaced 83,000 people since November.
According to data from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the forecasts indicate that rainfall will remain below average in the current from March to June.
Poor rainfall endangers the survival of livestock, and, thus, an estimated 2.7 million Somalis could face food shortage during that period, that is, a 65-percent increase as compared to the current levels.
Among those not having access to provisions are 840,000 children aged under five, which would increase malnutrition levels across the country and affect their normal growth.
This UN agency noted that previous drought conditions were identified in regions of Somaliland, Puntland, Hirshabelle, Galmudug and Jubaland, after the low rainfall recorded there in late 2020.
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