The World Health Organisation said today that it feared the food crisis affecting southern Africa would lead to 300,000 additional deaths in the region within the next six months.
WHO Director-General Ms Gro Harlem Brundtland said food aid to the region must be accompanied by a boost in basic local health care to avert "tremendous loss of life".
"We are particularly concerned about data coming in from the region showing a doubling of maternal mortality in some areas, the continuing rise in tuberculosis, acute respiratory infections and malaria," Ms Brundtland said in a statement.
"We fear there could be at least 300,000 'extra' deaths during the next six months because of this crisis," she added.
WHO noted that a survey in Malawi had found that child malnutrition rates had more than trebled in three months, from six per cent to 19 per cent.
It also showed that maternal mortality rates at health centres in the country had increased by 71 percent "due to malnutrition, poor health status, lack of prenatal care and the weak capacity of the health system".
The number of children born at the same health centres also decreased by seven percent.
The region also has some of the highest prevalence rates for HIV/AIDS in the world, further increasing the population's vulnerability to food shortages.
WHO said it was working with countries in the region to strengthen their health services by improving staffing and providing greater access to medicines.
The UN World Food Programme says some six million people - half of them in Zimbabwe - are currently affected by the famine, and an additional seven million are severely undernourished.
The UN has appealed for $611 million dollars, including $507 million in food aid.
AFP