Hounde, Jul 28: Coronavirus and its restrictions are pushing already hungry communities over the edge, killing an estimated 10,000 more young children a month as meager farms are cut off from markets and villages are isolated from food and medical aid, the United Nations warned Monday.
In the call to action shared with The Associated Press ahead of publication, four UN agencies warned that growing malnutrition would have long-term consequences, transforming individual tragedies into a generational catastrophe.
Hunger is already stalking Haboue Solange Boue, an infant from Burkina Faso who lost half her former body weight of 5.5 pounds (2.5 kilograms) in just a month. Coronavirus restrictions closed the markets, and her family sold fewer vegetables. Her mother was too malnourished to nurse.
“My child,” Danssanin Lanizou whispered, choking back tears as she unwrapped a blanket to reveal her baby's protruding ribs.
More than 550,000 additional children each month are being struck by what is called wasting, according to the UN — malnutrition that manifests in spindly limbs and distended bellies. Over a year, that's up 6.7 million from last year's total of 47 million. Wasting and stunting can permanently damage children physically and mentally.
“The food security effects of the COVID crisis are going to reflect many years from now,” said Dr. Francesco Branca, the WHO head of nutrition. “There is going to be a societal effect.”
From Latin America to South Asia to sub-Saharan Africa, more poor families than ever are staring down a future without enough food.
In April, World Food Program head David Beasley warned that the coronavirus economy would cause global famines “of biblical proportions” this year. There are different stages of what is known as food insecurity; famine is officially declared when, along with other measures, 30% of the population suffers from wasting.
The World Food Program estimated in February that one Venezuelan in three was already going hungry, as inflation rendered salaries nearly worthless and forced millions to flee abroad. Then the virus arrived.
“Every day we receive a malnourished child,” said Dr. Francisco Nieto, who works in a hospital in the border state of Tachira.
In May, Nieto recalled, after two months of quarantine, 18-month-old twins arrived with bodies bloated from malnutrition. The children's mother was jobless and living with her own mother. She told the doctor she fed them only a simple drink made with boiled bananas.
“Not even a cracker? Some chicken?” he asked.
“Nothing,” the children's grandmother responded. By the time the doctor saw them, it was too late: One boy died eight days later.
The leaders of four international agencies — the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the World Food Program and the Food and Agriculture Organization — have called for at least dollar 2.4 billion immediately to address global hunger.
But even more than lack of money, restrictions on movement have prevented families from seeking treatment, said Victor Aguayo, the head of UNICEF's nutrition program.
“By having schools closed, by having primary health care services disrupted, by having nutritional programs dysfunctional, we are also creating harm,” Aguayo said. He cited as an example the near-global suspension of Vitamin A supplements, which are a crucial way to bolster developing immune systems.
In Afghanistan, movement restrictions prevent families from bringing their malnourished children to hospitals for food and aid just when they need it most. The Indira Gandhi hospital in the capital, Kabul, has seen only three or four malnourished children, said specialist Nematullah Amiri. Last year, there were 10 times as many.
Because the children don't come in, there's no way to know for certain the scale of the problem, but a recent study by Johns Hopkins University indicated an additional 13,000 Afghans younger than 5 could die.
Afghanistan is now in a red zone of hunger, with severe childhood malnutrition spiking from 690,000 in January to 780,000 — a 13% increase, according to UNICEF.
In Yemen, restrictions on movement have blocked aid distribution, along with the stalling of salaries and price hikes. The Arab world's poorest country is suffering further from a fall in remittances and a drop in funding from humanitarian agencies.
Yemen is now on the brink of famine, according to the Famine Early Warning Systems Network, which uses surveys, satellite data and weather mapping to pinpoint places most in need.
Some of the worst hunger still occurs in sub-Saharan Africa. In Sudan, 9.6 million people live from one meal to the next — a 65% increase from the same time last year.
Lockdowns across Sudanese provinces, as around the world, have dried up work and incomes for millions. With inflation hitting 136%, prices for basic goods have more than tripled.
“It has never been easy but now we are starving, eating grass, weeds, just plants from the earth,” said Ibrahim Youssef, director of the Kalma camp for internally displaced people in war-ravaged south Darfur.
Adam Haroun, an official in the Krinding camp in west Darfur, recorded nine deaths linked with malnutrition, otherwise a rare occurrence, over the past two months — five newborns and four older adults, he said.
Before the pandemic and lockdown, the Abdullah family ate three meals a day, sometimes with bread, or they'd add butter to porridge. Now they are down to just one meal of “millet porridge” — water mixed with grain. Zakaria Yehia Abdullah, a farmer now at Krinding, said the hunger is showing “in my children's faces.”
“I don't have the basics I need to survive,” said the 67-year-old, who who hasn't worked the fields since April. “That means the 10 people counting on me can't survive either.”
Comments
Ley ali ...4 options kottu ...72 mele sigathe antha heli ...massage maadsi ...kaas kottu ... masha Allah ...antha helisbahudu ankondiya ....hahaha ..antha tapori alla kanayya ....naren kotian daaaaaa.....
Masha Allah
Naren will accept Islam by next year, insha allah.
His new name will be Muhammed Naren.
Naren,
Muttalrige estu helidru artha agalla, avarige avaradde raga,
We have thousands of Indian nurses working in Saudi Arabia mostly from Kerala and mostly non-muslims, But, only a very little percentage have changed their faith,
What you are mentioning here is all false, bogus and baseless,
Inchu illah ..massagu illa ...I have seen plenty of filippinaa and Nepalese who shifted to Singapore and Thailand after working in Saudi. ..to gain benefits they do ..non Muslim find difficult to get benefits when compared to jihadist...so it is temporary ...once they are back they are back to boom boom style ...I have met 2 escorts till now from Philippine . ..both had Muslim name. ..business ge ashte ...women nurse galu Saudi nalli kelsa madakke first convert agbeku ...illandre ...hardcore patients muttiskollodilvanthe.... Haha...even I have learnt about Islam and have one pseudo name to deal with Muslims ....it is purely for business's... Bari incoming alla swamy....outgoing bagge Matadi ...haha.. .u want me to show iskon Muslims ?
Syed,
When the people who associate partners with ALLAH revert and Worship ALLAH alone... They are already be forgiven for their Past Sin. ALLAH is most forgiving and most merciful....
May Allah forgive us and make us one of the inheriters of the Jannah.
ALHAMDULILLAH, MAY ALLAH SWT INCREASE THEIR IMAAN.AND FORGIVE THEIR PAST SINS. AAMEEN
Islam is the only religion accept by the almighty ALLAH (God) . Please make a research Y God accept only ISLAM. There is a life after death... We Muslims know that and U never understand this cos the Guidance comes only when U learn about the CREATOR who created U, ME and all that EXists...
Read QURAN with translation... U can also check online , i prefer Quranproject which is well explained to those who dont know about ISLAM and the one GOD who is the God of all that exists.
Finally Read it and U also have the choice to accept it or Not ... There is no compulsion in Religion... (What a better way Allah gives u the choice to accept it or not)
Islam is a true religion there is no place in Islam for Nama, Rama, Duma, Thoma and Roma all the prayers for Almighty Allah and leave and live for Allah, this is not only in Saudi all Muslim countries Non Muslims attract to Islam, one who see true Muslims and their believe in Allah they accept Islam..Insha Allah Islam will spread every where. Non believers and terrorists who do terrorism in the name of Islam will disappear one day Insha Allah
Dear Brother Ahmed, I agree with your comments.. But we cant throw stones for all dogs which keeps barking on roadside right? Bolney waley bolney do jo aney waley ayengey.. Cos Islam is such a religion if one non muslim goes deep into Quran he will not be non muslim later.. In Sha Allah many more to come in future
AlHamdulillah
Allahu Akber
Ma Sha Allah.. Welcome to Islam brothers and sisters.. May Allah bless you and all..
Burnol Bhagya for some :D
This kind of news will give sleepless nights to Sangh Parivar, Now they will come up with the comments like:-
It's done by the force of sword
It's for Jehadi purpose
They accepted Islam for monetary gains
Blah, Blah, Blah
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