From Timothy Olanrewaju, Maiduguri
Roughly 1.74 million under-five children will suffer from acute malnutrition in Nigeria’s volatile North East between now and September, United Nations’ Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Nigeria, Mr Matthias Schmale, has said.
Schmale, in a statement on Tuesday, noted that the protracted insurgency entering its 13 years, has pushed up the food shortage in the region earlier affected by desertification and receding of the Lake Chad.
“Malnutrition among children grows increasingly dangerous in the North East. Approximately 1.74 million children under five are expected to suffer from acute malnutrition across the North East in 2022,” he revealed
He said over 300,000 children of these number, are expected to suffer from severe acute malnutrition. He said this category could be at high risk of death if they do not receive urgent treatment.
The UN chief had earlier briefed Member States of the global body in Geneva, Switzerland on the needs, challenges and windows of opportunity in tackling the challenges in Nigeria’s North East.
“A multi-sector response plan has been put in place by the UN and humanitarian partners to provide life-saving aid and prevent a potentially catastrophic food and nutrition situation,” he disclosed in the statement.
He said the plan requires $351 million, which he explained, is part of the overall request of $1.1 billion for the 2022 Humanitarian Response Plan. He said the programme was severely underfunded at 19.6 per cent.
“I cannot emphasise enough, we need the resources today and not tomorrow,” said Mr Schmale.
He appealed to the international community for immediate support to get aid to those who need it most.
The violence in the North East fueled by the Boko Haram insurgency started in late July 2009 and has dragged on entering its 13 years now. About three million people have been displaced and an estimated 100, 000 people killed according to the Borno State government.
Scores of farmers have been attacked or killed, forcing many to flee to safer towns to take refuge. Those who have been returned to their local governments cannot access farmlands far from towns and communities, making farming activities difficult and food shortage increasing.