Red Cross asks for additional $19m to support South Sudan

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on Wednesday asked donors for an additional 18 million Swiss francs (approximately 19 million U.S. dollars) to boost its capacity to address the immense needs in South Sudan.
ICRC said with high malnutrition rates, prolonged displacement and health-care facilities under enormous pressure, the humanitarian situation in South Sudan remains bleak.
Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced and still live in camps or temporary settlements, and some are scattered in remote places far from any services.
In several parts of the country, malnutrition is widespread, particularly among children. Because the rainy season will last until the end of the year, and the security situation remains fragile, food currently needs to be brought in by air.
"Despite other crises currently unfolding around the world, it's important not to forget increasingly silent tragedies like the one taking place in South Sudan," Eric Marclay, the ICRC's head of operations for East Africa, said in a statement.
"It's critical to continue to help people and to have a firm and immediate response from the donor community," Marclay added.
The additional funding will bring the ICRC's annual budget for South Sudan, which has already been the site of the ICRC's second biggest operation in the world after Syria, to 130 million Swiss francs (approximately 139 million US dollars).
ICRC added the money will mainly serve to provide food for 150,000 people until the end of the year. Since mid-December last year, food has been distributed to more than 500,000 people in several South Sudanese states.