2022 Flood Disasters Claimed Not Less Than 600 Lives, Displaced Over 1.3m Persons – UNICEF
The United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, says government data has shown that no fewer than 600 persons died and 1.3million rendered homeless as a result of the September/October floods across 34 states of the country .
Chief of UNICEF Field Office, Enugu, Mrs Juliet Chiluwe, disclosed this on Saturday, during official handover of supplies for Anambra State Flood Response from UNICEF to Anambra State Government.
During the occasion, the first set of supplies of : 100 drums of chlorine for disinfection of water sources, 40 cartons of Aquatabs for household water treatment and 320 cartons of Ready to Use Therapeutic food (RUTF) were handed over to Governor Chukwuma Soludo, represented by his deputy, Dr Onyekachukwu Ibezim.
Chiluwe, in her address said, “We bring you greetings from UNICEF, Nigeria and sympathize with the government and people of Anambra state on the recently encountered flooding experience especially with the women and children who remained vulnerable during these times.
“We acknowledged that since September 2022, the worst floods in a decade affected 2.8 million people, of which an estimated 60 per cent are children, across 34 of the 36 states in Nigeria. Of those affected, 1.3 million people have been displaced, and over 600 people have died in relation to flooding according to government data.
“Continuous heavy rains have collapsed hundreds of public health facilities, water systems and sanitation facilities, increasing the risk of waterborne diseases, such as cholera, diarrhoea, and malaria.
She added, “To contribute to the effort of government and other development partners, UNICEF, with funding from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) has initiated a multisectoral response comprising Health, Child Protection and WASH sectors, to mitigate the impact of the floods, and to support the early recovery-phase of the affected population in Anambra State.
“For Child Protection, the response will focus on protection concerns in three key areas: the provision of psychosocial support for flood-affected children; the prevention of family separation and the reunification of separated and unaccompanied children, as well as the strengthening of community-based protection systems related to GBV.
“For Health, the response will focus on emergency primary health care services to address waterborne and vaccine-preventable childhood diseases by ensuring continued access to health services via mobile brigades, prepositioning essential medicines and supplies, support the restoration of basic health services and improving health-seeking behaviours through community engagement.
Continuing, the UNICEF Chief said, “As part of the response, UNICEF is making available essential medicines and health supplies, sexual reproductive kit, chlorine for disinfection of water sources in health centres, schools and communities.
Responding, the governor commended UNICEF for its interventions in various aspects of human endeavour, especially as it concerned women and children.
The governor assured continued collaboration with the world body, adding that the state government was working out modalities to mitigate the sufferings of the flood victims in various parts of state as well as putting in place, proactive measures to check future occurrences.
