DATE=4/7/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=UNICEF / ETHIOPIA DROUGHT (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-261046
BYLINE=LISA SCHLEIN
DATELINE=GENEVA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: The United Nations Children's Fund, UNICEF,
says critical, life-saving health and nutrition
programs planned for children and women must not be
ignored in the effort to get food aid to drought-
stricken Ethiopia. Lisa Schlein in Geneva reports
UNICEF says these programs are at serious risk because
donors are not providing the needed money.
TEXT: UNICEF says it is absolutely essential that
immunization and nutritional programs go ahead as
planned. Otherwise, the agency warns a great many
lives will be lost.
The United Nations estimates about eight-million
people are at risk of starvation in Ethiopia.
Lynn Geldof of UNICEF says over one-million Ethiopian
children are at high risk of acute malnutrition. She
says their weak status makes them extremely vulnerable
to disease and death. She says it is vital that
UNICEF immunize children against measles.
/// GELDOF ACT ///
As we know from experience, measles -- even
where there is food in these difficult
conditions under which these children are now
living -- can kill very quickly. So, we're
talking about a life and death situation here.
If we don't get the funding, we cannot undertake
these critical interventions which were long-
planned, which were announced in an appeal at
the beginning of the year.
/// END ACT ///
UNICEF appealed for seven-point-seven million U-S
dollars. Ms. Geldof says the agency has received some
in-kind donations, but no money. Ms. Geldof agrees
that food must be sent urgently. But, she says donors
must also remember the non-food needs.
UNICEF is planning a big campaign to immunize hundreds
of thousands of children against measles and to
distribute Vitamin A. It is also providing tens of
thousands of high-protein biscuits and oral
rehydration salts for children suffering from
diarrhea. Ms. Geldof says these programs are needed
to prevent the famine situation from becoming worse.
/// GELDOF ACT ///
There is still time if the rains do come for
people to prepare the ground and to plant. But,
if they are at that stage so weakened that they
cannot do that, all will be lost. So, it is
critical for us to be there, to have the support
in terms also of BP-5 high-protein biscuits.
/// END ACT ///
UNICEF also plans to provide water tankers, construct
shallow wells and repair hand pumps that have broken
down from overuse. (Signed)
NEB/LS/GE/JP
07-Apr-2000 09:45 AM EDT (07-Apr-2000 1345 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
