BRUSSELS/DAKAR, 27 August 2014 - The European Union has allocated € 11.5 million to UNICEF to treat over 1 million children suffering from severe acute malnutrition in five countries of the Sahel.
In a context of funding shortfalls, this allocation from the European Commission's Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection department (ECHO) will help to purchase ready-to-use therapeutic food and essential drugs, strengthen the national supply systems and train health agents and community health workers. The aim is to improve the detection and treatment of severe acute malnutrition among children under 5 years old in Burkina Faso, The Gambia, Mauritania, Niger and Senegal.
“Too many children in the Sahel remain at risk of dying from malnutrition or related diseases simply because they are not identified soon enough and don’t receive the right treatment in the right place, at the right time,” said Manuel Fontaine, UNICEF Regional Director for West & Central Africa. “This donation from the European Union will contribute to more quickly detect and treat malnourished children at the community level, including during health-related activities such as a vaccination campaign.”
Across the Sahel region, over 1.2 million children under-five die every year – out of which about 570,000 deaths are associated with malnutrition and related diseases. Malnutrition prevalence remains alarmingly high among children under-five, especially at the peak of the lean season as well as in the post-harvest period. It is estimated that 1.5 million children from Sahel countries are expected to suffer from severe acute malnutrition this year and an additional 3.5 million, from moderate acute malnutrition.
“Reinforcing the life-saving treatment of children in the Sahel has been a consistent goal of the EU over the past years. While we succeeded in drastically scaling up nutrition care, the root causes of malnutrition in the Sahel remain unchanged,” said Cyprien Fabre, Head of ECHO's West Africa office. “This renewed commitment is necessary to treat a growing number of malnourished children, but at the same time allow countries of the region to better integrate nutrition care in their health package.”
The chronic food and nutrition crisis in the Sahel is aggravated by poor health care services, low immunization coverage, lack of clean water and sanitation, food insecurity and displacement.
In 2014, the EU has allocated a total of € 11.5 million to support the efforts of UNICEF and its partners to fight malnutrition across the Sahel, with an allocation of € 5 million earlier this year and a recent allocation of € 6.5 million. Despite these significant contributions only 30% of UN funding requirements for the response to acute malnutrition in the region have been met. ECHO and UNICEF call on other donors to step up funding for life-saving nutrition care.
About UNICEF
UNICEF promotes the rights and wellbeing of every child, in everything we do. Together with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere.
For more information about UNICEF and its work visit: www.unicef.org
UNICEF-EU web portal: http://www.unicef.org/eu/
About European Commission's Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection department (ECHO)
ECHO funds relief operations for victims of natural disasters and conflicts around the world. Its aid is provided in an impartial and neutral manner to people in need, regardless of their nationality, religion, gender, ethnic origin or political affiliation. ECHO is among UNICEF's largest humanitarian donors.
For more information on ECHO: http://ec.europa.eu/echo/index_en.htm
UNICEF-EU web portal: http://www.unicef.org/eu/
For further information, please contact:
Louis Vigneault-Dubois, Communication Specialist, UNICEF Regional Office Western and Central Africa, tel.: +221 78 152 68 11,
email: lvigneault@unicef.org
Rebekka Opfermann, Communication Assistant, UNICEF Brussels EU Office,
Tel.: +32 2 513 2251,
email: ropfermann@unicef.org
Anouk Delafortrie, Regional Information Officer, European Commission Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection (ECHO),
Tel.: +221 77 740 92 17,
email: anouk.delafortrie@echofield.eu
