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It's three weeks since cyclone Nargis pounded the Irrawaddy delta. But despite a world poised to help, the United Nations says three in four of those most in need have yet to receive any help. Hunger and disease could send the death toll soaring if the situation does not change. The World Food Programme says an emergency operation needs to target hundreds of thousands of people. SOUNDBITE: Paul Risley, World Food Program saying: (English) "The emergency operation agreed to by the World Food Program and other U.N. agencies, specify that 750,000 people have been in dire need of food assistance and humanitarian assistance." United Nations Puma Helicopters being loaded onto Australian Defence Force planes in South Africa to be dispatched to Myanmar. These helicopters from the U.N. World Food Program will be used to deliver humanitarian assistance to the worst cyclone affected area. The U.N. Children's Fund says assessing the situation on the ground was very difficult. SOUNDBITE: Shantha Bloemen, the United Nations Children's Fund saying: (English) "One of the challenges is the population are still mobile which is difficult to get a clear picture." In Bangkok in Thailand Burmese dissidents protested outside the Myanmar Embassy. Holding placards and shouting "Aid relief in, Junta out" they called for more aid . SOUNDBITE: Kyan Kyan, Myanmar dissident, saying: (Burmese) "U.N.'s relief are not reaching to those victims in the delta. All aid concern agencies should push harder through the military to get their aid in. Whatever Ban Ki-moon saw during his visit to the delta was a set-up by the junta." The Red Cross has reached 150,000 of affected population but spokesman Thomas Gurner says they are still trying to get foreign experts in water and sanitation into the cyclone affected area. SOUNDBITE: Dr. Thomas Gurtner, Director of Programmes at International Federation of Red Cross (IFRC) and Red Crescent Societies, saying,(English) "We have reached with some initial basic assistances, maybe half, this is a positive estimate, maybe half of the affected population. But they may have only had 20 or 30 per cent of their immediate needs covered. So, the needs remain overwhelmingly huge." Myanmar's own Red Cross have received high praise for their tireless work since the beginning of the emergency. But the Red Cross believed unless there is a quantum leap in the output of aid Myanmar will suffer a massive deterioration. Penny Tweedie, Reuters.