UNICEF’s Deputy Executive Director, Hilde F. Johnson, today urged for more action to be taken in Southern Sudan to stop severe food shortages in parts of the country escalating into a worse crisis.

“Now is the time to act. Everybody needs to do their best to stop this humanitarian emergency, which is already affecting 1.5 million people across Southern Sudan,” said Hilde Johnson, UNICEF’s Deputy Executive Director, after a visit to the region.

In response to the crisis UNICEF has provided therapeutic food through its partners which has been used to treat severely malnourished children in 79 UNICEF supported therapeutic outreach centres across Southern Sudan.