Malnutrition rates in flood-affected areas in southern Pakistan rival those in African countries hit by famine, according to a UNICEF report that assessed post-flood needs in the Asian country.
Approximately a quarter of children under 5 years old in the Sindh province, where several areas are still underwater, are malnourished while about 6 percent are severely underfed, the UNICEF report shows.
“I haven’t seen malnutrition this bad since the worst of the famine in Ethiopia, Darfur and Chad. It’s shockingly bad,” the Guadian quotes Karen Allen, deputy head of UNICEF in the country.
Pakistan was hit by massive floods in August, displacing at least 14 million people. The U.N. has launched a USD2 billion appeal in the aftermath of the disaster. The Guardian says the appeal is only 56 percent funded.
