Save the Children has launched an appeal to raise $30 million. The move was occasioned by the Covid-19 pandemic. The organisation says it will use the funds to strengthen its programmes, which protect children in countries that have now been hit by Covid-19. Save the Children says the funds will go to increasing support for national health systems and raising awareness among parents and caregivers on how to provide mental support to children, in addition to supporting children who have lost parents.

Save the Children noted that as the virus continues to spread, the lives of thousands of children could be at risk as the pandemic disrupts nutrition, immunisation and other health services for children, which would be the consequence if facilities become overstretched or healthcare workers fall ill or families stay away from healthcare facilities because of fears of contacting the virus.

The organisation is calling on the international community to increase funding to support national governments’ efforts in their response to the virus and save children’s lives. The Regional Advocacy Director for Save the Children’s West and Central Africa Regional Office, Eric Hazard, said, ‘While we know donors have many demands on them, it is critical that we do not draw back from our global responsibility now. We can see right in front of us that if we ignore a Covid-19 outbreak in one country, it will quickly lead to more cases in another. We must support countries with weaker health systems and stand with the poorest and most marginalised communities who do have the means to support and protect themselves from the impact of this outbreak. International donors must invest in supporting countries to scale up their health systems, with particular support for countries that have less capacity to manage the outbreak, so that the impact on highly vulnerable children and their families is minimised as much as possible’.

Source: Save the Children

Photo source: Primus Inter Pares