UN reaffirms “grave” situation in Kinkala

The UN country team on Tuesday reconfirmed its recent findings of a “grave humanitarian crisis” in the town of Kinkala. The government, in a communique read over state radio on Sunday, had described as “excessive” a UN statement that depicted a “disastrous” humanitarian situation in Kinkala. In a statement sent to IRIN, the UN team in Brazzaville said its findings emerged from last week’s first overland mission this year to the affected interior of the country. The 19-person mission - comprising donor, government, UN and media representatives - “saw many persons in a state of life-threatening malnutrition”, UN Humanitarian Coordinator William Paton said. “Significant numbers were very severely emaciated or unable to stand or walk. Food was exceedingly scarce.” He added that there was a “daily death rate from severe malnutrition”.