Hunger in the News: Yemen, malnutrition, and climate change

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Hunger in the News

More than 50,000 Yemeni children ‘will die by the end of the year,’” by Raf Sanchez, Telegraph

Forty thousand children have already died in Yemen in 2017 due to starvation. That number is set to rise to 50,000 by the end of the year. With the tightening of the blockade, that number has the potential to be far higher. Hospitals are stuffed with children suffering from malnutrition and diseases related to it. Many suffer from the massive cholera outbreak in the country. Around 385 thousand children in Yemen are suffering from acute malnutrition, with only half receiving any sort of treatment.

Malnutrition Responsible for 15% of India’s Total Disease Burden in 2016,” by Indo-Asian News Service

Fifteen percent of the entire mass of diseases suffered by the Indian population are directly caused by malnutrition. Most of these diseases are neonatal disorders, diarrheal diseases, and nutritional diseases. While the disease burden from malnutrition has decreased significantly since 1990, it remains twelve times higher than in China. 

Q&A: Without climate adaption funding, hunger will persist,” by Andrew Green, Devex. 

The intersection of agriculture and climate change has received significant attention at the COP23 climate negotiations in Bonn, Germany.

Food Stocks in Yemen to Run Out in Approximately 100 Days,” by Sputnik News

The World Food Project estimates that Yemen has 111 days until rice stocks run out, and 97 days until wheat stocks run out, if the Saudi enforced blockade of the country continues. The consequences of this would be the largest famine the world has seen in decades, with potentially millions of victims.

Cholera, hunger and war are ravaging Yemen. What role does the U.S. play?,”  by Judy Woodruff, PBS

Hunger and disease are reaching alarming levels in Yemen. The cause is largely the ongoing civil war between the Houthi government, terrorist groups, and a Saudi state blockading the country and carrying out bombing runs. Almost one million people have cholera, the fastest growing outbreak of the disease in human history, exacerbating hunger and wasting in Yemen. Millions are also in danger of experiencing famine conditions, with thousands of children on the verge of starvation.

Saudi Arabia says it will reopen ‘some’ of Yemen’s air and seaports after international outrage,” by Bethan McKernan, The Independent

Last week Saudi Arabia launched a full blockade of Yemen’s airports and harbors, completely cutting off aid to the country and inflaming hunger and disease epidemics. Seven million of the nation’s 27 million are estimated to be on the brink of famine. Amidst international outcry, the Saudis have announced they will reopen ports and airports in government held areas, but continue the blockade of all Houthi controlled areas.

Rohingya children close to starvation amid ‘health crisis on an unimaginable scale,’” by Kate Hodal, The Guardian

Since August, when the ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya populations in Burma began, over 600,000 Rohingya people have fled into Bangladesh. One in four of the children fleeing Myanmar are suffering from life threatening malnutrition. Half of the refugee Rohingya children suffer from anemia, and food insecurity and starvation conditions are expected to increase as more refugees arrive and disease spreads. Aid workers are having difficulties reaching many of the displaced Rohingya, who often shelter further from the main roads. 

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