WHO Offers Additional 1.7 Mil. to Somalia Famine
The United Nations has granted just over US $1.7 million from the newly created Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to the UN World Health Organization (WHO) for life-saving programmes in the Horn of Africa. “The WHO and partners will work to strengthen immunisation campaigns, epidemiological surveillance and training of health professionals in Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia,†a statement from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said on Friday. The CERF - launched in March and aimed at helping create quicker, more predictable UN funding for crises - aims to have a total of $500 million in grants and loans ready for UN agencies to use within three to four days of the start of an emergency. The individual distribution of the latest disbursement per country amounts to $70,000 for Djibouti, $450,000 for Eritrea, $350,000 for Ethiopia, $430,000 for Kenya, and $404,540 for Somalia. “When we think of life-saving aid, vaccinations are often the first thing that comes to mind. In major emergencies such as the drought now affecting East Africa, diseases that cost less than one dollar to prevent, kill,†said Margareta Wahlström, Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator. “Immediate funding for immunisations and surveillance will help us prevent unnecessary deaths.â€Â Â
As always, UN actions are at best too little too late!Â