UNITED NATIONS, July 22 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations has allocated 1 million U.S. dollars to help 340,000 people in areas affected by Rift Valley Fever in Burundi, a UN spokesman said on Friday.
Undersecretary-General Martin Griffiths, the UN emergency relief coordinator, released the funds for projects focused on controlling spread of the disease, primarily affecting livestock, said Farhan Haq, deputy spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
"The loss of cattle for farmers could lead to people losing assets and sources of income, pushing entire families deeper into poverty, food insecurity and malnutrition," Haq said. The money will go towards projects focused on controlling the spread of the disease and ensuring food security.
The livestock industry in Burundi accounts for 14 percent of the country's gross domestic product, the spokesman told a regular briefing.
He also said this year's 182-million-U.S.-dollar Burundi Humanitarian Response Plan is only 5.1 percent funded to assist 957,000 people urgently needing help.
"Roughly half of the people who we hope to reach live in areas where Rift Valley Fever is prevalent," Haq said. ■
