Positive start to SADC�s P26bn El Nino appeal
Wednesday, July 27, 2016
The southern African region experienced its worst drought in 35 years in the recent farming season, pushing 40 million people into need, including 23 million requiring emergency intervention. Ten out of the 15 SADC states require humanitarian assistance, as the crisis has caused hunger, malnutrition and other health issues, power shortages and broader economic challenges for the region.
Shortly after Khama launched the appeal, in which he presented a dire assessment of the region’s humanitarian status, several representatives of donor states rose to announce their initial responses. Representatives from the United States, Britain, the European Union collectively announced interventions amounting to $501.4 million (P5.4bn), while the United Nations said an initial $41million had been released from an emergency fund.
The recent Vaccination Day in Motokwe, orchestrated through collaborative efforts between UNICEF, USAID, BRCS, and the Ministry of Health, underscores a commendable stride towards fortifying child health services.The painful reality as reflected by the Ministry of Health's data regarding the decline in routine immunisation coverage since the onset of the pandemic, is a cause for concern.It underscores the urgent need to address the...