Attachments
In March and April, REACH warned that a public health crisis was unfolding in Nasir and Ulang, where armed violence has displaced a fifth of the population and blocked lifesaving humanitarian assistance since February. A recent IPC Update – conducted in May and published in June – reveals that extreme conditions have emerged in both counties: a combined 22,000 people (5% of the population in each county) face catastrophic food insecurity, and the percentage of children who suffer from wasting has met the famine threshold. Given the severity of the situation, this brief summarises the results and presents key risks that actors should monitor between now and July.
Key Messages
• The latest IPC Update – published on June 12 – reports that 22,000 people face catastrophic food consumption gaps in Nasir and Ulang. Further, one in three children suffer from wasting – meaning they are dangerously thin and weak – which is a rate the IPC classifies as ‘extremely critical’.
• Poor nutrition and disease present an immediate threat to life. The cholera death rate in Nasir almost doubled between March (4.4%) and June (7.6%). In Ulang, a health partner was forced to close the only hospital and withdraw support from thirteen other facilities on June 10.
• Some analysts warn that the violence in Upper Nile will continue to escalate. In the week the IPC results were published, clashes resumed in Nasir. Meanwhile, the flood extent in Upper Nile in May was the highest on record, signalling another major flood event in the second half of 2025.
• Under a plausible worst-case scenario, in which violence and flooding escalate and combine to block communities’ access to food and lifesaving humanitarian services, the IPC warns there is a risk of famine in Nasir and Ulang between now and July 2025.
• An immediate and sustained ceasefire in Nasir, Ulang and other affected areas is essential, as is unhindered access to partners to distribute critical lifesaving food, healthcare and nutrition services. A concerted response is needed urgently to reduce the risk of death from disease and malnutrition.