A report by UNICEF, County heath departments and 9 other aid organizations shows that about 70, 000 children in Kenya are severely malnourished.
Arid areas of Turkana, Samburu, East Pokot, West Pokot and Mandera are worst hit.
In just one year, the rate of severe malnutrition increased from 2.3 per cent to 8.3 per cent, the report further indicates.
“In Turkana South, an unprecedented 12 per cent of children under five now suffer from severe acute malnutrition. These counties have also witnessed deterioration in nutrition and food security,” cites the report as quoted by the Star.
In East Pokot, malnutrition rates were placed at 5.8 per cent, Mandera (5.2 per cent), Samburu (3.8 per cent) and 3.2 per cent in West Pokot.
A further 40, 000 expectant mothers across the country also suffer from malnourishment. This figure has increased by 20 per cent.
“Many of them are now barely surviving on just a meal a day. Many mothers can no longer breastfeed their babies because they’re too starved to produce enough milk,” said Woods, save the Children’s interim country director
The situation is expected to deteriorate with the entry of short rains season.
“The situation is likely to worsen as we enter the lean and short rains season,” said Action Against Hunger Country Director for Kenya and Somalia, Patrick Mweki.
“The just-concluded general election must be used as an opportunity to reverse the hunger tragedy unfolding in many parts of the country. We urge the new national and county governments to act now to prevent children from dying,” added Mweki.
By Pharis Kinyua. He’s an online journalist and an author for Jamhuri News.