By Anjali Sharma
UNITED NATIONS – World food programme on Tuesday said that the dire funding cut facing aid workers globally continues to have a devastating impact on vulnerable communities.
In Afghanistan it means that children are not getting the help they need and used to get to stave off worsening hunger.
WFP in an update warned that over 17 million Afghans are at risk as winter sets in.
Over 2 million more than last year according to the global authority on hunger, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification platform, or IPC.
Jean-Martin Bauer from WFP explained the impact of unprecedented reductions in funding for essential services:
“Mothers especially are turning up at health centres with children hoping for some support for them,” but in many cases they have been turned away “because resources are no longer available.”
The agency said clear signs of a deepening humanitarian crisis are being confirmed on the ground, with families “skipping meals for days” as hunger worsens.
John Aylieff, WFP country director in Afghanistan said “Our teams are seeing families taking extreme measures to survive.”
“Child deaths are rising, and they risk becoming worse in the months ahead.”
Afghanistan is facing a harsh winter after drought destroyed crops, jobs were lost and recent earthquakes left thousands homeless, WFP stated.
UN agency stressed that forced returns from Pakistan and Iran are compounding needs, with 2.5 million people sent back this year, many malnourished.
WFP needs $468 million to help six million survive the winter.
