A+ A-

Humanitarians seek over USD 55 mln to prevent, treat cholera in Yemen

NEW YORK, May 25 (KUNA) -- The UN announced humanitarians are seeking over some USD 55 million to prevent and treat cholera at the national, governorate and community level in Yemen over the next six months.
UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters that the Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen Jamie McGoldrick, said that cholera is spreading at an unprecedented rate throughout Yemen.
"In the past three weeks, health authorities have reported over 35,500 suspected cholera cases, a third of which are children, and 361 deaths in 19 of Yemen's 22 governorates," he confirmed.
Dujarric told the press that McGoldrick called on Members States to provide financial and political support to help avert an additional and devastating blow to Yemen, where 17 million people are already food insecure, including seven million people facing potential famine and 462,000 children in the grip of acute malnutrition.
The speed at which cholera is spreading among the population exceeds the capacity of the health system to respond, given its weakened state after more than two years of conflict, import restrictions and the lack of regular salary payments to health workers.
Hundreds of thousands of people are at a greater risk of dying as they face the "triple threat" of conflict, starvation and cholera, he added. (end) mao.hb