The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has once again expressed concerns that about 2 million children in the Northeast region were projected to suffer acute cases of malnutrition.

The humanitarian organization also disclosed that the cases of severe malnutrition among children in the region have ” quadrupled to 700,000″.

A statement signed by WFP’s Head of Communications, Advocacy and Marketing, Chi Lael, noted that due to the persistent arms conflict in the region, 2.1 million people affected by conflict have a dire need for emergency food, nutrition and humanitarian assistance.

Lael revealed that while WFP has been concerned that the conflict has lingered with grave consequences, it was also working with concerted efforts to provide the emergency assistance needed in the region.

According to WFP, the challenge of meeting the emergency need of the region has been funded, as it requires about US$190 million to reach its target.

“WFP requires US$190 million over the next six months to provide lifesaving food and nutrition assistance to the most vulnerable people. If urgent action is not taken, funding gaps mean that approximately four million people in the northeast will go without food assistance during the peak of the lean season”.

WFP further revealed that it was concerned about an earlier March Cadre Harmonisé projects report, ” that 4.3 million people in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states face severe hunger during the peak of the lean season between June and August 2023″.

It added that ” almost 600,000 are on the brink of catastrophe. These people will face emergency levels of food insecurity, with extremely high rates of acute malnutrition and mortality in the absence of a sustained scale-up of humanitarian assistance”. (New Telegraph)