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UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs |
DRC: NGO calls for humanitarian access to South Kivu
NAIROBI, 4 April 2003 (IRIN) - The NGO Action Against Hunger (AAH) said on Thursday that many civilians have been cut off from vital assistance after the NGO's withdrawal from Shabunda in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) last month.
The agency said it had to evacuate staff from Shabunda in South Kivu Province on 28 March because of deteriorating security. It left one month's supplies to continue supporting 100 patients in its therapeutic feeding centre in Shabunda, and for 600 patients in centres elsewhere in eastern DRC.
AAH said these patients, mostly children, "faced certain death" if supplies were not replenished in April.
AAH country director in eastern DRC, Banu Altunbas, said the health and nutritional status of people in the area was of "great concern". Last month was the second time in six months the NGO had been forced to withdraw from Shabunda, leaving the civilian population at risk.
AAH called on all parties in the DRC to ensure safe access to humanitarian agencies, and specifically to enable safe flights to resume into Shabunda.
Themes: (IRIN) Health & Nutrition, (IRIN) Refugees/IDPs
[ENDS]
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