An alarming surge in armed violence in areas of Haiti is heightening the risk of a malnutrition crisis in the country, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned on Tuesday.
Findings from the recent Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis indicate an alarming 19 per cent increase in the number of children estimated to suffer from severe acute malnutrition in Haiti this year.
Around 1.64 million people are facing emergency levels of acute food insecurity, (IPC Phase 4), which increases the risk of child wasting and malnutrition.
The ongoing armed violence across Artibonite department and the West department, which encompasses Port au Prince, has restricted aid delivery and severely weakened an already fragile healthcare system, posing an imminent threat to the lives of over 125,000 children at risk.
“The violence and instability in Haiti have consequences far beyond the risk of the violence itself”, said Catherine Russell, UNICEF Executive Director.
The situation is creating a child health and nutrition crisis that could cost the lives of countless of children, she added.
‘Thousands of children on the brink’
“Thousands of children are on the brink, while life-saving supplies are ready to be delivered if violence stops and roads and hospitals are opened. This malnutrition crisis is entirely human made,” Ms. Russell said.
“Basic security is urgently needed for the people of Haiti, for the life-saving services they rely on, and for humanitarian workers to reach children and families in desperate need.”
Since January, the deteriorating security situation has continued to worsen the humanitarian crisis, with serious consequences for UNICEF’s ability to store, deliver and resupply aid.
Despite the highly volatile environment, UNICEF is doing all it can to protect families and provide life-saving support, including for those who are trapped and cut off from essential services.
The agency is calling for accelerated efforts by the international community to protect civilians, restore law and order and keep humanitarians safe; an immediate flexible funding boost; and protection for schools, hospitals and other key spaces for children.
SOURCE: UN News
These Haitians thugs are heartless bastards to be killing their owe people
Barbecue likewise Putin must be caught and prisoner without clothes and food likewise no water so they remember their wickedness
Destroy the root and get rid of the vines that’s the solution….I watch the news and see how people suffer for basic commodities.
The short comments, above, about the Haitian crisis is a sad reflection of shortness of fact, reality and truth which underline them. The article, itself, reflects the minuscule level of journalism (if any at all) practiced by the St. Lucia Times; concerned only with click-bait, with which to drive advertising revenue.
The editorial team is missing the opportunity to raise their level of journalistic output, while still generating interest from the St. Lucian readership, who would inform themselves with truth, instead of the lies & propaganda aired 24 x 7 from corporate media & the UN (whose news broadcasts are completely controlled by the collective west). There are lots of non-profit, alternative media sources to the corporate mainstream presstitutes, who spew out stories that promote the agenda of their advertisers (monopoly capitalists) – profit over truth!
One such alternative for truth is blackagendareport.com. Two of their latest articles about Haiti are titled, “The Haitian State Is Neo-colonized, Not “Failed”” and “SUMMARY: The U.S. Strategy to Prevent Conflict and Promote Stability 10-Year Strategic Plan for Haiti, U.S. Department of State, March 24, 2023”. Both articles promote the welfare of Haitian citizens; definitely not corporate (Haitian oligarchy/US oligarchy) welfare, nor hegemony of the US empire. If the St. Lucia Times will not promote their output, then it is very easy to bookmark their website in your browser.