MOGADISHU (Halbeeg News) – The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has appealed for 171 million U.S. dollars to respond to the rise in cholera cases in 11 countries in eastern and southern Africa.
It said 28 million people are in need in Malawi, Mozambique, Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia, Zambia, South Sudan, Burundi, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, and South Africa.
“To respond to the increasing needs of children and families in the region impacted by cholera, UNICEF is urgently calling for funding of 171 million U.S. dollars,” it said in a statement on Monday.
The UNICEF said the funds will be used to provide lifesaving water, sanitation and hygiene, health, risk communication, nutrition, child protection, and education services to women and children affected by the outbreak.
The 11 countries are experiencing an extremely worrying cholera outbreak with 67,822 cases and 1,788 estimated deaths, noting that actual figures are likely higher as limitations in surveillance systems, under-reporting, and stigma hamper monitoring, the UN agency said earlier this month.
It said it is developing individualized cholera response plans based on the unique conditions within each affected country.
According to UNICEF, the budgets for both Malawi and Mozambique include requirements to address each country’s recent cyclone-related flooding, given that flooding is a priority compounding risk to the spread of cholera. Xinhua
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