S.Sudan: Nearly half of refugee children growth stunted

By Andrew Wasike

NAIROBI, Kenya (AA) - Forty-four percent of the refugee children under the age of 5 in South Sudan are suffering from growth retardation or stunting, according to a UN survey.

UNHCR, UN's top refugees body, said in a report released Monday that "6.2 percent or 3,391 out of the total of 54,172 refugee children under 5 years old were suffering from acute malnutrition."

"Both stunting and anemia can have long-term negative consequences for children and affect children’s immune system as well as intellectual capacity and mental development,” said Johann Siffointe, UNHCR representative in South Sudan.

Siffointe said the solution to the problem required "a holistic approach" which he said should include the provision of adequate healthcare and water and sanitation services, and food security.

The survey also revealed that 48% or 26,000 of the refugee children in South Sudan were suffering from anemia.