Three children have reportedly died of hunger at Palabek Refugee Settlements in Lamwo district in a period of two months.

The refugees from South Sudan are suffering from hunger after the World Food Programme (WFP) reduced the rations allocated to each household every month.

John Pasquale Udo, the Palabek Refugee Settlement Welfare Council III on Wednesday said the children who perished are aged between 7 and 15 years. However, it was also revealed that the children were unaccompanied by their parents while entering the country from South Sudan.

Udo added that two of the children died in May this year, while one died last month (June). 

According to him, more of such children have resorted to providing labour force to the host communities in exchange for food at the expense of studying.

Being young, Udo says, the children are unable to eat their rations sparingly for the entire month.

Since 2017, about 10% of the refugees in the settlements in Lamwo District are unaccompanied children while 50% are children with single parents, according to statistics from the Office of the Palabek Refugee Council III.