Four Emergency Supply Flights en Route
NEW YORK, May 9 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A Thai Airways plane
carrying UNICEF emergency supplies landed in Yangon today, carrying three
million water purification tablets. Three more planeloads containing
medicines, emergency health kits and special food for malnourished
children, are planned over the next three days.
"The urgency facing Myanmar is so great -- every second can make a
difference in the life of a Myanmar child," said Juanita Vasquez, Acting
Representative of UNICEF Mynamar. "Let's increase our support to improve
the lives of children affected by Cyclone Nargis."
An estimated 1.5 million people have been severely affected by Cyclone
Nargis and one of their most pressing needs is potable water. The tablets
that have now arrived can purify five million liters of contaminated water,
enough for the needs of 200,000 people for one week. With many roads still
blocked by debris and fallen trees, distributing purification tablets is
quicker and more practical than attempting to distribute large quantities
of potable water.
UNICEF is very concerned about the impact of bad water on the health of
children living in extremely precarious situations. Lack of access to clean
water and poor sanitation, inadequate shelter and poor nutrition pose
additional risks to children who are already vulnerable to disease and
hunger.
According to UNICEF health specialists in Myanmar, 20 percent of
children in the worst affected areas already have diarrhea and cases of
malaria have also been reported. To counter more outbreaks of communicable
and water-borne diseases, UNICEF has distributed 15,000 hygiene kits and
has plans to distribute another 20,000, as well as to construct large
numbers of portable toilets in camps set up to house people who have lost
their homes.
"Childhood is time-sensitive -- kids cannot go weeks without basic
survival needs -- their lives depend on immediate humanitarian assistance,"
said Caryl Stern, President and CEO of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF. "Even
before this cyclone, one in three Myanmar children was malnourished. Now
there's been a massive disruption in food and water supply, widespread
destruction of homes, health and sanitation facilities. The heat is intense
and pools of standing water permeate cramped makeshift shelters, creating a
breeding ground for mosquitos. Stern continued, "Given these conditions, we
are going to see a rise in malaria cases, and diarrhea, which are two of
the deadliest threats to children.
"UNICEF has appealed for $25.57 million over the next six months to
ramp up critical services of water, sanitation and hygiene; child
protection; education and telecommunications services. The U.S. Fund for
UNICEF is welcoming contributions of all sizes via http://www.unicefusa.org and
notes that donations will not sit idle -- once received, they are processed
and converted into practical assistance within hours.
UNICEF has been working in Myanmar since 1950 and began responding to
survivors of the cyclone within hours using pre-positioned supplies. Due to
the scale of this humanitarian crisis, public support is critical in
helping UNICEF meet the massive needs of surviving children.
To donate to the Cyclone Nargis disaster, please go to:
http://www.unicefusa.org/myanmar or call 1-800 4UNICEF.
About UNICEF
For more than 60 years, UNICEF has been the world's leading
international children's organization, working in over 150 countries to
address the ongoing issues that affect why kids are dying. UNICEF provides
lifesaving nutrition, clean water, education, protection and emergency
response saving more young lives than any other humanitarian organization
in the world. While millions of children die every year of preventable
causes like dehydration, upper respiratory infections and measles, UNICEF,
with the support of partnering organizations and donors alike, has the
global experience, resources and reach to give children the best hope of
survival. For more information about UNICEF, please visit
http://www.unicefusa.org.
SOURCE UNICEF
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Related links:
http://www.unicefusa.org
http://www.unicefusa.org/myanmar
CONTACT:
Marissa Buckanoff, +1-212-922-2485,
mbuckanoff@unicefusa.org, Marci Greenberg, +1-212-922-2464,
mgreenberg@unicefusa.org, or Lisa Szarkowski, +1-212-922-2643
lszarkowski@unicefusa.org, all of U.S. Fund for UNICEF
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