A recent report released by the World Food Programme (WFP), the food assistance branch of the United Nations, has painted a grim picture of health and food security problems faced by the Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar’s Rakhine state. “The survey confirmed a worsening of the food security situation in already highly vulnerable areas after the October 2016 incidents and subsequent security operations. Nearly one third of the population was severely food-insecure and in need of humanitarian assistance,” stated the report posted on the WFP website this month.

“Only 14 percent of women achieved minimum dietary diversity and none of the children met the minimum adequate diet,” it said.

The report of the survey, covering the period between March 16 and April 19, further said, “Poor infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices - poor diets and low meal frequency - with known aggravating factors such as poor water and sanitation may have increased wasting and may have had a long term delayed impact on stunting in children.”

Based on the 2017 preliminary data showing an increase in children requiring treatment of acute malnutrition, it is estimated that 80,500 children under the age of five are expected to be in need of treatment for acute malnutrition within the next 12 months, it said.

 This estimate includes children in need of multiple treatment cycles, it added.

“Income opportunities were scarce and households could not access sufficient food to cover their needs,” according to the report.

“About half of the markets were not functioning or were only partially operational, food prices were highly volatile and supply of affordable foods in many markets was scarce,” said the report.

The report based on an assessment of villages in the northern Rakhine state stated that those who remain in the area are now reeling from a food crisis including episodes of no food in the house or not eating for 24 hours.

A quarter of all households composed of only one female adult as the men had left due

to the military campaign, it said, adding that these households had the highest frequency of episodes of severe hunger.

Stating that 2,25,000 people need humanitarian assistance, the report also said, “Under these circumstances and with the upcoming rainy season that may aggravate an already fragile situation. The capacity of the most vulnerable population to access sufficient food in the long-term is severally undermined and will depend on the humanitarian assistance in the near future.”

Since October, last year, about 75,000 Rohingyas fled the Rakhine state to escape the atrocities of Myanmar security forces to join with 3-5 lakhs compatriots already living in Bangladesh for decades.