Communities in Kayova Village within the Ndiyona Constituency in Kavango East celebrated a belated World Food Day.

The day aims to raise worldwide awareness and action for the elimination of hunger, food insecurity, and malnutrition.

Statistics from the Office of the Prime Minister's Drought Relief Programme reveal that 15,000 households in Kavango East are food insecure.

The governor of the Kavango East region, Bonifatius Wakudumo, talks about families who lost their loved ones in the region due to suspected food poisoning.

The Minister of Defence and Veterans Affairs, Frans Kapofi, says the deaths of 16 Shishugho family members should serve as a reminder to those deployed at grassroots levels to continuously access and inform the government to take appropriate action.

Kapofi expressed deep regret over the deaths of 16 people due to food insecurity.

Kapofi believes the disaster could have been avoided through various relief programmes had the government been notified of the dire situation the family was passing through.

The death toll of people who died from suspected food poisoning at Kayova Village in the Kavango East Region has increased to 13.

The Health Director for Kavango East, Waita Kapumburo, confirmed to nbc News that the number of people who are suspected to have eaten poisoned food was actually 20 and not 18, as earlier indicated.

Kapumburo also confirmed that of the 20 people, 13 have so far died, while four are in critical condition.

They are all from the same household and aged between two and 33.