By William Madouk
More than 60,000 malnourished children in South Sudan’s Upper Nile state are on the brink of famine as humanitarian agencies warn that critical nutrition supplies may run out by the end of May.
In a joint statement issued this week, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) and UNICEF raised the alarm over dwindling aid stocks, citing escalating violence along the White Nile River — the main supply corridor — which has forced the suspension and return of food shipments.
Upper Nile state continues to record some of the highest malnutrition rates in the country, with over 300,000 children having suffered from moderate or severe malnutrition over the past year, the agencies said.
“As the rainy season intensifies and conflict displaces more families, rising food insecurity and the spread of waterborne diseases will likely drive malnutrition numbers even higher,” the statement read.
WFP and UNICEF warned that unless aid deliveries resume urgently, life-saving nutrition treatment programs could be halted across the state. Supplies needed to treat both moderate and severe malnutrition are expected to run out within weeks.
In April, barges carrying 1,000 metric tonnes of food and nutrition aid to Upper Nile were forced to turn back due to security threats. An additional 3,000 metric tonnes remain on standby in Bor, a key humanitarian hub, awaiting clearance to move.
“Children are always the first to suffer in times of crisis,” said Mary-Ellen McGroarty, WFP’s Country Director in South Sudan. “Without access to these critical nutrition supplies, already dire levels of malnutrition will only get worse. Every single day matters for a malnourished child.”
Due to insecurity and the high value of nutrition stocks, agencies say they are unable to preposition supplies in conflict-prone areas, fearing that health facilities and warehouses may become targets for looting.
Since the onset of the latest crisis, about 2,000 cartons of therapeutic food enough to treat nearly 1,900 children have been looted in Upper Nile.
UNICEF’s acting representative in South Sudan, Obia Achieng, called the situation unprecedented.
“We have reluctantly taken the difficult decision to withhold further shipments because we can’t guarantee they will reach the children in need,” Achieng said. “If the disruption continues, supplies will be completely depleted by the end of May, with potentially catastrophic consequences for the most vulnerable.”
WFP and UNICEF are urging for an immediate resumption of safe humanitarian access to prevent a full-scale nutrition crisis that could roll back years of progress in treating child malnutrition in Upper Nile.