CERF releases $10 million for food security in North-East

As the people of North East Nigeria struggle with devastating food and nutrition crisis, the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) has released $10 million allocation to help save lives and get urgent aid to those who need it most.

According to United Nation’s Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Nigeria, Mr. Matthias Schmale, about 1.74 million children, under the age of 5, are expected to suffer from acute malnutrition across the North East in 2022. With a 34 per cent increase so far from last year, the North East recorded the highest burden of acute malnutrition since 2016, and over 300,000 children are expected to suffer from this.

Schmale said: “If immediate action is not taken, more than 5,000 children are expected to die from malnutrition in the region. Those who survive will potentially face lifelong disabilities. Malnutrition puts children at greater risk of dying from common infections, increases frequency and severity of such infections, delays recovery and causes development stagnation.”