THE HUNGER VIRUS MULTIPLIES | 11 people die of hunger every minute worldwide outpacing COVID-19 fatalities: Oxfam

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11 people die of hunger and malnutrition each minute and that the number of people facing famine-like conditions globally has increased 6 times over the last year, said a new report titled “The Hunger Virus Multiplies” by Oxfam.

The anti-poverty organization said that the death toll from famine outpaces that of COVID-19, which kills around 7 people per minute.

“The statistics are staggering, but we must remember that these figures are made up of individual people facing unimaginable suffering. Even one person is too many,” said Oxfam America’s President and CEO Abby Maxman, adding starvation continues to be used as a weapon of war, depriving civilians of food and water and impeding humanitarian relief.

Some of the world’s worst hunger ‘hotspots’ include conflict-ridden Syria, Afghanistan, Ethiopia, South Sudan and Yemen that have witnessed a rise in extreme levels of hunger since last year.

3 Key Drivers of Food Insecurity

· Conflict

· COVID19-induced economic shocks

· Climate Crisis

“Warring parties must first forge peace, and governments must focus their resources on social protection and programs that address the needs of vulnerable people and save lives now, rather than on arms that perpetuate conflict and hunger,” said the report.

In order to end the hunger crisis, as per the brief, governments must rebuild a fairer and more sustainable global economy. It goes on to say that they must eradicate underlying inequalities that widen the gap between rich and poor people.