Disease outbreaks, food insecurity and severe malnutrition among the underage counting tens of thousands are the risks that Mozambique faces as the season of cyclones close at hand, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said in a statement on Friday
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 08th November, 2019) Disease outbreaks, food insecurity and severe malnutrition among the underage counting tens of thousands are the risks that Mozambique faces as the season of cyclones close at hand, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said in a statement on Friday."The rainy season poses a real threat to the health of communities that are already extremely vulnerable. Mozambique is one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world. We have seen a clear trend of these disasters increasing," the statement read, quoting IFRC Under Secretary General for Partnerships Jemilah Mahmood.
According to the text, some 2 million people in Mozambique might be affected by food insecurity during the rainy season, while nearly 38,000 children are already at risk of malnutrition.
"We know future disasters will strike; we cannot prevent them. But we can massively reduce their impact by investing in local humanitarian capacity, by improving sanitation and hygiene practices and infrastructure, and by building stronger shelters that can weather storms," Mahmood said.
The IFRC concluded by calling upon "governments, donors and humanitarian actors to do more" to prevent and reduce the impact of future disasters in Mozambique.
Throughout March-April, Mozambique got a devastating hit by cyclones Idai and then Kenneth. Aside from ruined infrastructure and massive material damages due to catastrophic floods and wind, the cyclones left at least 700 killed and more than 1,600 injured in Mozambique.
The United Nations issued a plea to the international community to help the devastated country, where more than 1.8 million of people were in need of assistance as of March 22. Russia was among the countries that sent humanitarian assistance to Mozambique, including food, tents, blankets, medical products and instruments.
