South Sudan’s humanitarian crisis deepens as hunger, drought and insecurity worsen

Humanitarian needs are intensifying across South Sudan as conflict, food insecurity, displacement and extreme weather continue to restrict access to life-saving services, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said in its latest update.

An estimated 2.2 million children in South Sudan are acutely malnourished, while 1.2 million pregnant and breastfeeding women require nutrition treatment, according to the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification analysis covering April to June 2026.

The worsening nutrition situation is particularly concerning in conflict-affected and hard-to-reach areas, where insecurity, flooding, poor road conditions and disrupted supply routes continue to hamper humanitarian operations.

In Lafon County, Eastern Equatoria State, a rapid screening found that one in four children under 5 who were screened were undernourished. The area is also experiencing drought-like conditions.

In Akobo County, Jonglei State, more than 75,000 people across five priority locations require nutrition assistance. The affected population includes an estimated 3,760 children with severe acute malnutrition, 7,209 children with moderate acute malnutrition and 3,918 pregnant and breastfeeding women.

Nutrition supplies have reportedly been exhausted in Nasir and Ulang counties in Upper Nile State, putting about 19,000 children with severe acute malnutrition, 36,000 with moderate acute malnutrition and 32,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women at risk of losing access to essential nutrition services.

The Nutrition Cluster plans to deliver 8,550 cartons of therapeutic food and medical supplies to replenish stocks, but insecurity and logistical constraints along the Sobat Corridor are preventing the immediate resupply of the two counties.

Humanitarian partners are continuing to provide mobile nutrition services, outpatient treatment, screening and infant and young child feeding support in vulnerable communities. In Upper Nile, UNICEF and the World Food Programme have dispatched emergency nutrition supplies, while partners are working to maintain services despite access constraints.

Extreme weather is adding to the humanitarian pressures. Below-average rainfall, prolonged dry spells and above-normal temperatures have been reported across the country during the critical June-to-September planting season, threatening crop production, livestock and water availability.

Eastern Equatoria, Jonglei, Upper Nile, Unity, Warrap and Northern Bahr el Ghazal states are among the areas affected. In parts of Eastern Equatoria, communities have reportedly moved toward neighboring areas, including across the borders into Kenya and Uganda.

The latest IPC analysis projects that 7.8 million people, or 56% of South Sudan’s population, will face acute food insecurity at Crisis level or worse between April and July 2026. Of those, 2.5 million people are projected to face Emergency conditions and 73,000 Catastrophe conditions. The analysis also identified a risk of famine under plausible worst-case conditions in Luakpiny/Nasir, Ulang, Nyirol and Akobo.

Access to safe water and sanitation also remains a major concern because of insecurity, dry conditions and funding shortages. Humanitarian partners are using mobile water treatment systems, water trucking and household water treatment to support vulnerable communities.

In Upper Nile State, World Vision supplied 6,010 cubic meters of water, reaching more than 43,000 people, while four boreholes were rehabilitated in Longochuk County, benefiting about 4,000 people. In Warrap State, partners constructed a water yard, drilled three boreholes, rehabilitated 71 boreholes and chlorinated 12 others.

Health services are also under pressure. At least 60,100 people in Maiwut County, Upper Nile State, reportedly lack access to basic health care after three health facilities became nonfunctional because of funding shortages. The disruption is particularly concerning because the county has reported polio and measles cases.

Despite the challenges, humanitarian agencies have continued to expand emergency assistance in several areas. An integrated Rapid Response Mechanism mobile outreach reached conflict- and flood-affected communities in Buoytong/Lietganteny in Unity State from Aug. 17 to 21, restoring access to health, nutrition, education, child protection, gender-based violence and safe water services after months of displacement and flooding.

The operation conducted 391 medical consultations and screened more than 360 children and pregnant and breastfeeding women for malnutrition. More than 380 children received child protection services, while gender-based violence support reached more than 470 people.

In Western Bahr el Ghazal State, humanitarian partners have also scaled up assistance in Wau and Jur River counties following armed clashes in June that displaced more than 37,000 people.

UNICEF and other partners are supporting health and nutrition services, while the World Health Organization has requested emergency medicines and medical kits. Other agencies are providing water, sanitation and hygiene assistance, education support and essential household items. However, major gaps remain in food assistance, emergency medicine, transportation, WASH services and funding.

Education services remain significantly underfunded. Between January and July, humanitarian partners reached more than 296,000 children through formal and nonformal education, representing 38% of the annual target.

However, only 10.5% of targeted children had received individual learning materials. Flooding, damaged roads and insecurity continue to restrict access, while some schools are being used as collective shelters.

In Upper Nile State, more than 181,000 school-aged children remain out of school, reportedly because of funding gaps. Fashoda, Longochuk, Nasir, Manyo, Panyikang and Ulang counties have reportedly recorded no enrollment during the current academic year.

Humanitarian agencies warned that prolonged disruption to education increases children’s exposure to protection risks, including recruitment by armed groups, criminal activity, gender-based violence and early marriage.

South Sudan is also strengthening preparedness for possible Ebola transmission amid an ongoing outbreak in neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo.

No Ebola cases have been confirmed in South Sudan, and all alerts investigated so far have tested negative. However, more than 5,700 confirmed cases and 2,744 deaths had been reported in Congo as of Aug. 26, maintaining a high risk of importation into South Sudan.

Joint teams from the World Health Organization, South Sudan’s National Public Health Institute and Ministry of Health have been deployed to 14 of 15 priority counties. The National Public Health Laboratory has also strengthened its capacity to test for different Ebola strains.

Humanitarian Coordinator Ramanathan Balakrishnan, together with representatives from WHO, OCHA and other U.N. agencies, visited Yei and Libogo, a point of entry to Congo in Central Equatoria State, on Aug. 19 to assess preparedness efforts.

The mission identified critical gaps in preparedness and highlighted the need for stronger cooperation between authorities and humanitarian partners on both sides of the border.

Cholera remains another major public health emergency. Since the outbreak began in September 2024, South Sudan has recorded 111,430 cases and 1,721 deaths.

Between Aug. 13 and 19, 165 new cases and no deaths were reported in Rubkona and Leer counties in Unity State and Renk County in Upper Nile State. Although cases have declined, Bentiu’s internally displaced persons camp remains the main epicenter of the outbreak.

Humanitarian access remains another major challenge. OCHA recorded 26 access incidents between Aug. 14 and 27, compared with 24 during the previous reporting period. Violence against humanitarian personnel, assets and facilities remained the main constraint, alongside movement and administrative restrictions.

In Greater Equatoria, reported incidents included robbery, detention and extortion, damage to humanitarian assets, an armed intrusion in Torit and repeated checkpoint delays around Yei. Insecurity along the Yei-Morobo corridor remains a particular concern, with 21 humanitarian personnel reportedly abducted for ransom in the Yei area since the beginning of 2026.

Two U.N. peacekeepers were killed Aug. 24 when their patrol traveling to Pajut in Jonglei State was ambushed by unidentified armed individuals. Seven other personnel were injured, including three peacekeepers, two South Sudan National Police Service officers and two civilian staff members.

The incident added to concerns over the security of personnel working to deliver assistance and maintain peace in conflict-affected areas.

Since January, 36 humanitarian workers have been killed in South Sudan, representing 44% of the 82 humanitarian workers killed globally during the same period, according to OCHA.

The humanitarian response is also facing a major funding shortfall. South Sudan’s 2026 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan requires $1.46 billion, but only about $517.5 million, or 35.4%, had been received as of Aug. 31.

The remaining funding gap of about $942.5 million is limiting humanitarian partners’ ability to sustain life-saving assistance to millions of people in need.

OCHA said continued donor support, improved humanitarian access and protection for civilians, aid workers and humanitarian assets are essential to prevent further deterioration of the humanitarian situation.