Aden (Debriefer) - Acute malnutrition rates among children under five are the highest ever recorded in parts of Yemen, UN agencies said Tuesday.
More than half a million cases were recorded in Yemen's southern districts, according to the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) Acute Malnutrition analysis released on Monday by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), the World Food Programme (WFP) and partners.
"The analysis – which is for 133 districts in southern parts of Yemen only, home to 1.4 million children under five – reveals a rare 10 percent increase in cases of acute malnutrition in 2020," the agencies added in a release.
"The greatest increase is in cases of young children suffering from severe acute malnutrition (SAM) with 15.5 percent rise during 2020. This leaves at least 98,000 children under five at high risk of dying without urgent treatment for SAM.
"A dangerous combination of factors, driven by conflict and economic decline, compound the situation for Yemen's youngest children."
"At least a quarter of a million pregnant or breastfeeding women are also in need of treatment for malnutrition. UN experts warn the actual number is likely higher as the drivers of malnutrition in Yemen have worsened in 2020," it added.
"We've been warning since July that Yemen is in the brink of a catastrophic food security crisis," UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen was quoted in the release as saying.
"If the war doesn't end now, we are nearing an irreversible situation and risk losing an entire generation of Yemen's young children. The data we are releasing today confirms that acute malnutrition among children is hitting the highest levels we have seen since the war started," Lise Grande added.
"It's heart-breaking that when people need us the most, we can't do what's necessary because we don't have funding," she said.
"The lives of thousands of children and women are at risk," UNICEF Yemen representative said in the release.
"Acute malnutrition can be treated and prevented with a package of key services but for that we need urgent action and support," Philippe Duamelle added.
"The vicious cycle of conflict and hunger in Yemen is exacting a terrible toll on those who are already the most vulnerable," WFP Country Director for Yemen said.
"Rising rates of acute malnutrition put too many women and children at risk while the consequences will be felt by Yemen for generations to come.
"We can stop this devastating trend. The time to act is now," Laurent Bukera added.
To save lives and avert a further worsening of the situation, the UN and partners need more than US$ 50 million to urgently scale up nutrition programs, including treatment for children suffering from SAM, according to the release.
