International medical charity MSF says it has returned to Leer county in South Sudan's Unity state after evacuating in October, and has found "very concerning" rates of malnutrition there.

The group found 43 children under five years old suffering from severe acute malnutrition out of 731 total screened, a rate of 5.9%. Severe acute malnutrition is preventable and can be fatal without sustained medical treatment.

“MSF teams are very concerned about the malnutrition situation,” said MSF emergency manager Tara Newell. “MSF must have sustained access to Leer and surrounding villages in order to address the urgent medical needs, particularly malnutrition. With a continued presence, MSF teams can continue reaching out to the most vulnerable and provide children suffering with severe acute malnutrition with the treatment they urgently need to survive.”

Newell said MSF assisted a total of 2000 people in its recent visit.

MSF called on other aid groups to mobilize to meet the needs of civilians in Leer, and said the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, which recently deployed peacekeepers to Leer, must ensure that vulnerable populations are protected in the county.

Aid groups left Leer County on 3 October following renewed fighting between government and opposition forces. Monitoring group IGAD said aid groups were looted by government forces at that time. Over 80 civilians were killed in Leer in the middle of October, according to the Protection Cluster.

File photo: ©Medair/Wendy van Amerongen