SW News: A UNICEF representative has released a statement that rising insecurity continues to pose a growing danger to millions of vulnerable children amid the ongoing crisis in the Republic of Niger. Stefano Savi said severe malnutrition among children is extremely high. The recent coup d'état in Niger adds a heavy burden to an already disastrous humanitarian landscape.
Over 2 million children are in desperate need of humanitarian assistance. It was estimated that 1.5 million children under the age of 5 would be malnourished by 2023, with at least 430,000 children suffering from the deadliest form of malnutrition. There is likely to be a drastic rise in the number of children vulnerable to malnutrition if the situation persists and if economic recession hits households and incomes, accompanied by a surge in food prices.
UNICEF has been consistently giving children in Niger humanitarian aid. Ready-to-use therapeutic food which would be used to treat 100,000 children in the upcoming months was shipped to approximately 1,300 health centers in July. Savi said this is far from sufficient.
Energy shortages have also resulted from the current crisis, which is significant because energy powers 95% of the hospital system's cold chain equipment. Measures must be made to ensure that childhood vaccines and other supplies are not at risk, according to the UNICEF statement.
“We are concerned that multiple points of entrance into the nation are still closed to our life-saving supplies, which need to get promptly to Niger, which is cut off from the sea,” Savi said.
At the moment, two shipping containers containing vital supplies for the cold-storage supply chain are obstructed at the border between Niger and Benin. At the port of Cotonou, 29 containers containing stocks of therapeutic food and syringes for Niger are blocked, as are an additional 19 containers with vaccination equipment.
Millions of lives are at risk due to further delays in the admission of medical supplies into Niger and their exposure to the elements. These potentially life-saving interventions for the treatment of malnutrition and immunization risk losing their efficacy for the youngsters we assist, Savi said.
The most vulnerable children and families must be reached securely by humanitarian personnel and supplies, UNICEF urgently urged all parties involved in the disaster.
The statement urged "safeguarding essential humanitarian programs against the impact of sanction and funding cuts."
Pope Francis prayed for the people of Niger and for peace in the Sahel at the Sunday Angelus service in St. Peter's Square.
The Holy Father expressed his support for the people of Niger, saying, "I accompany with my prayers the efforts of the international community to find a peaceful solution as soon as possible for everyone's benefit."