The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has appealed for $52.4 million in funding to help curtail the devastating effects of Malawi’s deadliest cholera outbreak on children.

Development Diaries reports that in a Geneva press briefing, UNICEF Representative in Malawi, Rudolf Schwenk, noted that the children of Malawi are suffering from severe malnutrition due to the cholera outbreak.

He said, ‘Resources are limited, the health system is overburdened, and health workers are stretched to their limits. These are incredibly difficult times for the children of Malawi’.

According to Schwenk, since the outbreak was announced over one year ago, cholera has spread to all 29 districts in the country, affecting more than 50,000 people with over 1,500 deaths (as of 02 March). He added that of these, more than 12,000 children have contracted cholera and 197 have died.

He noted that UNICEF was now short of funds and supplies since it began giving life-saving response to those in cholera-prone areas.

‘Because of the enormous needs, UNICEF is appealing for U.S.$ 52.4 million to provide life-saving supplies, services, and technical support in water, sanitation, and hygiene; health and HIV; education; nutrition; child protection; and social protection, with social behaviour change interventions integrated across all sectors’, he said.

The UN agency called on donors to support the country with significant investments in health, water and sanitation infrastructure in order to prevent future cholera outbreaks.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), cholera has been endemic in Malawi since 1998, with seasonal outbreaks reported during the rainy season (November through May).

Source: UNICEF

Photo source: UNICEF