The UN anticipates that 4.4 million individuals in Somalia will encounter critical hunger levels.
The food crisis in Somalia is grim, with around 4.4 million people expected to face severe hunger between October and December, according to the United Nations’ Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
“Currently, about 3.6 million Somalis are grappling with extreme hunger. This figure is projected to swell to 4.4 million as we move into the latter months of the year, when anticipated rainfall is below average,” reported OCHA.
From October through December, a time notorious for rising disease outbreaks and scarce food supplies, the situation with acute malnutrition is poised to worsen, OCHA warned.
The figures are alarming, especially for children under five, with up to 1.6 million at risk of acute malnutrition until July 2025. Out of these, 403,000 children might face severe malnutrition pressures.
This expected increase signifies a jump in Global Acute Malnutrition and Severe Acute Malnutrition rates by 14% and 21%, respectively, compared to last year’s figures for the same period.
The decline in humanitarian aid and social protection programs prompted by tight budgets is primarily to blame for the worsening malnutrition crisis.
“This potential anticipated scale-down in crucial health and nutrition services spells trouble, particularly for the displaced communities who heavily lean on aid,” OCHA noted.
Furthermore, seasonal spikes in disease and possible outbreaks are set to dangerously worsen conditions in this East African nation.
During the rainy season, access to safe drinking water and sanitary facilities is expected to diminish, which could further increase the health threats.
James Swan, the UN’s acting envoy to Somalia, appealed for additional support on October 3 for the 2024 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan, which has only received 37% of its required $1.6 billion funding.
To combat the crisis head-on, the Somali Disaster Management Agency is boosting its efforts alongside local governments, recently delivering essential aid to 6,000 families in the hard-hit Afgoye area in Lower Shabelle province.
Edited by: Ali Musa
alimusa@axadletimes.com
Axadle international–Monitoring
