The United Nations World Food Program urgently requires $23.6m to meet the food and nutritional needs of refugees through December. It has reduced food rations for 320 000 refugees living in northwest Tanzania as a result of funding shortfalls.
"Further ration cuts will be necessary if donors do not respond immediately,” WFP said in a statement on Sunday.
WFP says rations were reduced for the August distribution, reaching only 62 percent of the recommended daily intake of 2100 kilocalories.
The UN has also been urging the international community to donate toward supporting over 2 million South Sudanese refugees sheltering in neighbouring countries. "Without an immediate response from donors, further ration cuts will be necessary as food stocks are simply running out," said WFP Tanzania Country Representative Michael Dunford.
"While WFP appreciates the support received so far, we are urgently appealing to donors to quickly come to the aid of the refugees and provide additional funding so that we can return to full rations and avoid any prolonged negative impacts," he said
The statement said reducing rations result in far-reaching and potentially life-altering consequences for refugees.
Cutting the intake of kilocalories and nutritional support can lead to acute malnutrition and increased vulnerability to disease, it said.
In addition to the five food items, WFP also provides hot meals for refugees upon arrival, supplemental rations for pregnant and nursing women and food assistance to hospital in-patients and people living with HIV/AIDS, said the statement.
It added that hot meals for refugees entering the country and supplementary feeding programmes remain unaffected by the current ration reductions.
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