In the Kasai region, in the center of the Democratic Republic of Congo, some 400,000 children suffer from severe malnutrition.

According to the report released on Friday by the United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), these children need urgent help.

Yves Willemot, head of communication for UNICEF in the DRC, says that “these children need assistance in the very short term, otherwise they risk dying.”

The United Nations Children’s Agency is calling for adequate financial support for national and international humanitarian organizations to reach all children in need of humanitarian assistance in the region.

UNICEF calls for help because it lacks the means to meet the needs of all these children.

Already, UNICEF with its partners offers therapeutic nutritional assistance, to 71,000 children. This is not enough given the number of children with severe malnutrition in this region.

Kasai has been plagued by insecurity caused by the Kamwina Nsapu militia.