Continued violence in South Sudan, with clashes in southern and central Unity State, had “intensified with grave consequences for civilians”, leaving at-risk populations food insecure and vulnerable to diseases, the UN relief wing said today.

Humanitarian response had been hampered recently by the clashes, which also posed a risk to aid workers’ lives, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in its latest bi-weekly humanitarian update.

“Civilians have also suffered the grave consequences of killings, sexual violence and forced displacement,” the report said. “Food insecurity in these hard-hit regions has deteriorated and has seen an (80 per cent) increase compared to the same period last year.”

OCHA said relief organizations on the ground were boosting efforts in these areas, despite access challenges and lagging funding.

The UN relief agency and its partners had managed to reach some towns in central Unity and Western Equatoria states and were assisting internally displaced persons (IDPs) with health, water, sanitation and hygiene.

“Thanks to OCHA and its partners’ timely response to cholera, together with a $2.6 million contribution from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund, the outbreak is now under control,” the report said, although it cautioned that the rainy season was ongoing.

It also warned that malaria, another water-borne disease, was the primary cause for morbidity and mortality in the country and was continuing to spread, with cases doubling and even quadrupling compared with the same period in 2014.

“The UN, together with partners and the South Sudanese Government, is assisting a multi-sectorial malaria task force and scaling up distribution of mosquito nets and information dissemination on malaria prevention,” the report said.

It noted, however, that an additional $4 million was urgently needed to ensure availability of malaria drugs and diagnostic tests, as well as social mobilization and logistical coordination.

During a recent visit to the country, OCHA Head of Operations John Ging said it was inspiring to witness efforts that humanitarian workers were making on the front line.

“The international community must continue to support these efforts, and stand in solidarity with those who have been the victims of conflict for far too long,” stressed Mr. Ging.