The UN High Commissioner for Refugees is appealing for about $180 million to cater for South Sudanese refugees in the neighboring countries this year.

The UNHCR says its initial regional refugee response plan has been revisited to include the increasing numbers of South Sudanese fleeing as refugees following the July incident in Juba.

The agency says more than 360,000 South Sudanese fled as refugees to neighboring countries. Most of them are in Uganda.

In a statement, the UNHCR says it had to revise some of its Regional Refugee Response Plan and the supplementary budget to meet the growing humanitarian needs of the refugees.

It says the chapter for Uganda was also revisited severally in July last year to consider the opening of a new settlement in Bidibidi, Yumbe District, with a capacity for 100,000 people.

The UNHCR says this had become vital in order to decongest transit and reception centers, and thereby reduce the risk of the spread of diseases.

Last year, UNHCR and other humanitarian organizations said they were forced to reduce food rations for some half a million refugees due to insufficient funding.

Refugees who spoke to Eye Radio also expressed concerns about limited health care services and prolonged shortage of water.