Escalating crisis displaced over 250,000 children in Mozambique

Approximately 250,000 children have been displaced by the escalating crisis in Mozambique’s northern province of Cabo Delgado and are now at risk of deadly diseases as the rainy season sets in, UNICEF warned on December 22, 2020.

UNICEF stated that there is an urgent need to expand the network of trained caseworkers who can visit surviving children and their families at home to offer psychosocial support and referrals to the protection and social services.

The UNICEF is hereby appealing for US$ 52.8 million to respond to the most urgent humanitarian needs in Mozambique, including US$30 million as part of the Humanitarian Response Plan for Cabo Delgado.

The United Nations’ children’s agency is especially concerned that safe water, sanitation, and hygiene services are insufficient to meet the growing needs of children and families in overcrowded temporary accommodation centers and host communities.

These services must be urgently strengthened and expanded to prevent the outbreak of water-borne diseases like cholera and the further spread of COVID-19.

“In less than two years, children and families in Cabo Delgado have faced a devastating cyclone, flooding, drought, socioeconomic hardship linked to the COVID-19 pandemic and conflict

 “As conditions in the province deteriorate further – especially with the start of rainy season – water, sanitation, and health care systems are under increasing strain. Humanitarian partners on the ground must shore up these services to protect the lives and wellbeing of the region’s children”, said UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore.

According to UNICEF, health conditions like diarrhea, which are easily prevented and treated, can be deadly for displaced children without access to safe water and adequate sanitation. This is especially true for children suffering from malnutrition.

UNICEF further pointed out that weather-related disasters and conflict over the past two years have contributed to food insecurity and hunger across Cabo Delgado.

“Two out of every five children in the province are chronically malnourished and more cases of severe acute malnutrition are being detected amongst the displaced population”, the UNICEF said.

But the good news is that UNICEF indicated that it is expanding its water and sanitation response and supporting mobile health teams.