The nutritional situation in South Sudan is critical. Malnutrition levels among children have reached emergency levels.

Ongoing conflict and an economic crisis has created widespread food insecurity leaving 1 million children in the country severely malnourished.

“More than one million children are currently estimated to be acutely malnourished across South Sudan. Over a quarter of a million children are already severely malnourished. If we do not reach these children with urgent aid many of them will die,” said Jeremy Hopkins, UNICEF Representative in South Sudan.

We are scaling up our response in South Sudan to reach as many children as possible.  We have opened 42 therapeutic feeding centres to provide lifesaving treatment to children.

Elizabeth, 18 months, rests on her mothers lap. She is receiving treatment for severe malnutrition. Photo: Gonzalez Farran, South Sudan, 2017. 

Therapeutic feeding centres provide children with nutritional supplies like therapeutic milk and peanut butter paste. Both are specially fortified to provide high levels of nutrients, minerals and calories to treat cases of severe malnutrition. In January, the centres admitted 12,558 children with severe acute malnutrition.

The situation in South Sudan is deteriorating and 1 million people are on the brink of famine. We will need to do more to reach as many children as possible. Please donate today and help provide lifesaving treatment for a child like Elizabeth.