MOGADISHU, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Two United Nations agencies said Monday they have provided lifesaving health supplies and services to more than 5 million people across drought-affected areas in Somalia.
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) said that funding from the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (EU ECHO) also supported Somalia and four federal member states with health and nutrition services for displaced persons.
"The 24-month ECHO-funded project is to increase access to lifesaving health and nutrition services for populations within IDP (internally displaced persons) camps and host communities and address the needs of pregnant and lactating women, elderly individuals, and children under five in drought and conflict-affected areas," the UN agencies said in a joint statement issued in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia.
Renee Van de Weerdt, WHO representative to Somalia, said the drought and food insecurity have severely impacted people's health and health systems in Somalia.
The two UN agencies supported federal and state ministries of health and partner organizations to provide lifesaving preventative and care services through the procurement and distribution of essential medical supplies for effective case management of severe acute malnutrition with medical complications in children.
They also supported the ministries with essential health and severe malnutrition kits, including reproductive health kits, as well as timely detection and response to outbreaks.
The beneficiaries of these health interventions included over 50 percent of women and over 1.2 million children under five years of age in the drought-affected communities, the UN agencies said.
"We are committed to mitigating the impact of drought and conflict on vulnerable populations, particularly pregnant women and young children," UNFPA Somalia Country Representative Niyi Ojuolape said. ■
