From: Biniam Tekle (biniamt@dehai.org)
Date: Mon May 11 2009 - 11:05:10 EDT
Millions Threatened With Hunger and Disease in Horn of Africa By Lisa
Schlein
Geneva
*10 May 2009*
The U.N. Children's Fund says the lives of a growing number of children in
the Horn of Africa are threatened by chronic food insecurity, conflict and
political instability.
The U.N. Children's Fund says an all too familiar tragedy is unfolding in
the Horn of Africa. It warns an already bad situation for children will only
get worse unless the world acts with much greater urgency to provide food
and other assistance.
It says countries in the region are reeling from a combination of erratic
weather patterns, the global economic crisis and intensifying conflict and
insecurity. It says piracy and the hijacking of ships off the Somali coast
also is adding to the emergency.
UNICEF spokeswoman, Miranda Eeles, says 19.8-million people, including
four-million children under the age of five, are in need of emergency relief
assistance.
"This is a substantial increase over the September 2008 figure of 14 million
people requiring assistance," said Eeles. "Over the last few months, there
has been a steady increase in the numbers of children suffering from acute
malnutrition. Data collected from nutrition surveillance and feeding centers
indicate growing numbers of children are suffering from acute malnutrition,
a condition which if not treated quickly can lead to death."
To illustrate the gravity of the situation, UNICEF notes the rates of acute
malnutrition in two provinces in Eritrea were above the World Health
Organization emergency threshold of 15 percent.
In Ethiopia, it says poor food security and nutrition conditions in some
parts of the country may get worse because of the late start of the rains
and the approaching hunger gap.
In Eastern Kenya, it says a major cholera outbreak caused by poor water and
sanitation also is contributing to acute malnutrition and mortality. It says
acute rates of malnutrition in both Somalia and Djibouti are beyond the
emergency threshold.
It says lack of safe water and sanitation is putting millions of people at
risk from waterborne disease. And, cholera and diarrheal disease outbreaks
have been reported throughout the Horn of Africa.
UNICEF says aid agencies urgently need funds from International donors to
carry out their aid programs. The children's agency says it has received
less than 10 percent of the $178 million emergency appeal it launched
earlier this year.
It warns it will be unable to carry out its humanitarian operations for
millions of vulnerable children and women this year if it does not receive
this money.
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