Mothers forced to abandon children on ‘roads of death’

EMERGENCY food centres in drought-stricken eastern Africa are overwhelmed by thousands of starving people every day and mothers are forced to abandon their dead or dying children by the roadside, aid officials said.

Josette Sheeran, executive director of the United Nations World Food Program, told a conference in Rome a deadly combination of natural disaster and regional conflict had created an emergency affecting more than 12 million people.

“We are seeing all the points able to distribute food completely overwhelmed ... our food is not adequate, so we are airlifting in more life saving supplies,” she said.