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| Image via Facebook/UNICEF |
MAPUTO, March 20, 2023 - The threat of cholera to children and families is fast growing weeks after Cyclone Freddy made its second landfall in Mozambique, creating serious interruptions to essential services. The death toll and the number of persons displaced by the storm appear to be fewer than in past cyclones of similar severity, owing to government preparatory measures. Unfortunately, Cyclone Freddy's flooding and interruption of water, sanitation, and hygiene services are causing a quick spike in cholera cases. Since the beginning of February, the number of reported cases has nearly doubled - to roughly 10,700 - with over 2,300 cases recorded only last week.
Mozambique presently has active cholera outbreaks in 36 districts across eight provinces. Inhambane and Zambezia, the regions worst hit by Cyclone Freddy in its first and second impacts, reported outbreaks. In addition to cholera, UNICEF is concerned about rising waterborne illnesses, such as diarrhoea and malaria, among the leading causes of child death. With many locations' health and nutrition systems badly harmed due to the disaster, the risk of mortality and sickness for children continues to climb.
UNICEF is already collaborating with UN and civil society partners to assist the government in combating cholera and the aftermath of Cyclone Freddy and flooding. In 2023, UNICEF provided over $1.2 million in medical and WASH supplies, as well as technical and financial assistance to government and NGO partners. UNICEF sponsored a cholera vaccination program in February that reached 720,000 individuals and is currently assisting in the acquisition of an additional 1.36 million vaccinations that will be administered in the following weeks. UNICEF also delivers life-saving supplies such as water filtration, treatment, and storage, as well as hygiene kits, disinfectants, and soap.
UNICEF is also assisting efforts to ensure that pupils may return to school as soon as possible. Cyclone Freddy wrecked more than 1,500 schools, interrupting schooling for more than 134,000 children, according to estimates from Mozambique's National Institute for Disaster Risk Management (INGD). Cyclone Freddy caused no damage to any 1025 climate-resilient classrooms built with UNICEF assistance since 2019, illustrating the significance of investing in climate-resilient infrastructure.
SOURCE: UNICEF
