Millions of Kenyans Face Hunger as Virus Ravages the Nation

WEDNESDAY JULY 29 2020

A document published by the UK’s aid research firm Development Initiatives, lists most countries perennially in conflict as those where many people are facing starvation. FILE PHOTO

Summary

The vulnerable Kenyans are in a global pool of more than one billion, or 16 per cent of the world’s population, facing long-term humanitarian crisis, a new report shows.

By SARAH NANJALA

Kenya Daily Nation

At least 3.6 million people in Kenya are at risk of hunger at a time the country is fighting the Covid-19 pandemic.

The vulnerable Kenyans are in a global pool of more than one billion, or 16 per cent of the world’s population, facing long-term humanitarian crisis, a new report shows.

The document, Global Humanitarian Assistance Report 2020, published by the UK’s aid research firm Development Initiatives, lists most countries perennially in conflict as those where many people are facing starvation. However, Kenya and Ethiopia were listed alongside South Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Central African Republic as those with medium-to-high-level of need.

The humanitarian crisis situation is such that millions need food and urgent medical aid. They include Somalia, where 5.2 million people have been affected, Zimbabwe with 5.1 million people, Chad at 4.8 million, Cameroon at 4.4 million, Mali at 3.9 million and Kenya at 3.6 million people.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Sudan, Niger, Chad, Nigeria, and Cameroon were identified to have the greatest need of humanitarian assistance.

All these countries have recently recorded more Covid-19 cases, stretching their health budgets.