More than 1 million people at risk of starvation due to Ebola epidemic in West Africa

The Ebola outbreak has added to the threat of a worsening food crisis in West Africa, with the World Food Programme (WFP) warning that up to 1 million people could die of hunger in the region.

Medical staff in Guinea distribute leaflets with information about the Ebola epidemic. Photo AFP

Neighboring countries have closed their borders and troops have controlled routes to prevent the possible spread of the Ebola virus, causing food supplies to the three countries at the center of the outbreak to increasingly tighten.

The impact has been most pronounced in Guinea’s capital, Conakry, where supplies of fruit and vegetables have been cut off. In Sierra Leone and Liberia, many markets have been closed, while prices of essential goods have skyrocketed in quarantined areas.

The World Food Programme has warned that up to 1 million people in Ebola-hit areas will need food assistance in the coming months. The agency is preparing an emergency aid operation for the area.

The World Health Organization also warned this week that the Ebola virus will continue to spread for months to come and that the scope of the outbreak cannot be underestimated. The complex developments of the epidemic have not only pushed West Africa into a health crisis, but also the risk of food insecurity in the near future.

According to VOV/AP