"Somalia is facing a deepening health and nutrition emergency as consecutive failed rainy seasons, soaring water prices and sharp cuts to humanitarian aid drive a surge in malnutrition and outbreaks of preventable diseases, Doctors Without Borders, known by its French acronym MSF, warns. The organisation said on Tuesday that its teams in Somalia had been witnessing a worrying trend of increasing numbers of children arriving at overcrowded camps with severe acute malnutrition or measles, diphtheria and acute watery diarrhoea, diseases that can be prevented."
"We are seeing children arriving at our hospitals in critical condition, often after travelling for days without food or water, said Allara Ali, MSF's project coordinator in Somalia. The East African nation's government declared a drought emergency in November, but aid agencies said the response has lagged as funding sinks to its lowest level in a decade. The drought has not only dried up wells but also the support systems families rely on, Ali said."
Consecutive failed rainy seasons, soaring water prices, and sharp cuts to humanitarian aid have driven a surge in malnutrition and outbreaks of measles, diphtheria and acute watery diarrhoea among displaced populations in Somalia. Hospitals report increasing numbers of children arriving in critical condition after travelling for days without food or water. The government declared a drought emergency in November as wells and family support systems dried up. United Nations assessments warn up to 4.4 million people could face crisis-level or worse food shortages by the end of 2025, including 1.85 million children under five at risk of acute malnutrition. More than 3.3 million people are displaced into overcrowded camps, while aid provision and health facilities have declined.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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