United Nations World Food Program (WFP) Deputy Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, Anthea Webb, said the program has begun distributing food stamps to approximately 2,000 pregnant women in Colombo’s “underprivileged” areas as part of a “rescue aid.”

She explained that the poor in this country of 22 million find it harder to afford basic necessities like food. She emphasized that “by refusing basic meals, they endanger their health and the health of their children.”

The program indicated that the distribution of Rs 15,000 (US$40) in cash vouchers was part of a United Nations effort to help the three million Sri Lankans hard hit by price increases. He said high prices are forcing four out of five people to forgo basic meals, warning of an “acute humanitarian crisis” on the horizon as millions of Sri Lankans need help.

The World Organization is trying to raise $60 million for food aid between June and December.

Sri Lanka is suffering from shortages of food, fuel, medicines and other essential commodities amid a crisis caused by the depletion of foreign exchange reserves and government mismanagement. Sri Lanka defaulted on its $51 billion foreign debt last April and is in talks with the International Monetary Fund for a bailout.