Irish nurses, midwives, doctors and logisticians are urgently needed in Niger, according to two of the leading Irish aid agencies.
Goal and Concern have claimed the situation in the African state has worsened in recent weeks, with Concern warning that if the international community does not respond immediately the world's second-poorest country could face an "Ethiopian-type" famine.
"The situation on the ground is far worse than we thought and we urgently require medical staff, even for short term contracts," said Goal chief executive John O'Shea.
Concern's regional director for West Africa, Brid Kennedy, said aid workers in Niger are now discovering areas even more badly affected by food shortages than was first believed.
The United Nations, which warned of the crisis as far back as November of last year, said 3.6 million people are facing food shortages and tens of thousands of children are at risk of starvation.
Ms Kennedy added Concern needs Irish nurses to volunteer to work in the region for several months.
Goal has chartered an Antonov cargo plane that will depart tomorrow morning for Niger from Dublin airport laden with 17 tonnes of specialised medical supplies as well as other items geared to prevent the deaths of malnourished children.
A second Goal plane will arrive in Niamey from the United Kingdom on Saturday morning carrying 40 metric tonnes of corn soya blend, a nutritional food commonly used in crisis situations.
The UN will today begin airlifting 44 tonnes of emergency food-aid to the country. But aid agencies say more is needed and this is not nearly enough to help the four million people, including 800,000 children, who are facing starvation.
The Irish Red Cross and Trócaire have allocated an initial €100,000 each towards providing emergency food aid, and both organisations are working with local partners in the region.
Trócaire yesterday began an Africa-wide emergency appeal to raise €3 million to target the many countries, including Niger, facing hunger and food insecurity.
The Government last week announced a €1 million allocation of funds to support the international response to the food crisis, with Concern awarded €500,000.