More than 800,000 children under the age of five are malnourished

The number of people in need of assistance is projected to increase to 4.35 million by October if the short rains perform below average. [iStockphoto]

At least 884,464 children, aged between six months and four years 11 months, are acutely malnourished because of the drought ravaging parts of the country.

The National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) in its August bulletin, posted on its website on Monday, reported that 115,725 pregnant and lactating women were also malnourished and in need of treatment.