More than 450,000 children in South Sudan’s Jonglei state face imminent risk of acute malnutrition as escalating conflict displaces hundreds of thousands and cripples the delivery of vital health and nutrition services, UNICEF warned Tuesday.
Violent clashes in Jonglei since the start of 2026 have forced at least 250,000 people from their homes, primarily in the state’s northern and central regions. The instability has severed critical supply routes, preventing humanitarian agencies from reaching vulnerable populations by river, road, and air. Six counties in Jonglei are either out of stock or nearly depleted of therapeutic foods, the specialized, lifesaving treatment for severe acute malnutrition.
“We are extremely concerned for women and children impacted by these violent clashes,” said Noala Skinner, UNICEF Country Representative in South Sudan. “We know that these areas have some of the highest levels of child malnutrition, and we know that a malnourished child without treatment is 12 times more likely to die. We are urgently calling for all parties to cease the violence and grant rapid, unimpeded, safe access for humanitarian aid and workers to reach highly vulnerable, displaced groups.”
The access crisis extends beyond Jonglei. Across South Sudan, UNICEF has recorded the closure of 17 health facilities due to conflict, suspending associated nutrition services. There have also been 10 reported incidents of looting targeting health and nutrition supplies, five occurring in Jonglei alone.
Despite the severe access constraints, UNICEF is mobilizing a response. The agency has dispatched water purification equipment, buckets, and soap to Duk County amid concerns over a potential cholera outbreak. In Akobo, supplies including malaria treatment, therapeutic food, and emergency health kits sufficient for over 10,000 people have been delivered.
The situation in Jonglei underscores the fragile humanitarian landscape in South Sudan, where years of conflict and economic crisis have already left millions dependent on aid. The current fighting threatens to reverse gains in child survival and push thousands more into severe food insecurity. Humanitarian officials stress that without immediate, secure corridors for assistance, the projected caseload of malnourished children could rise dramatically, straining an already overstretched response system. The international community’s ability to avert a deeper crisis hinges on unhindered access to the worst-affected areas.
