UN agencies in Afghanistan moved on three fronts Monday, airlifting emergency aid to nearly 6,000 flood victims, staging the latest phase of a polio vaccination campaign targeting, and warning that some 3 million people will be "severely affected" if a $48 million shortfall in food assistance is not met.
The helicopter operation, begun at the weekend, continued Monday to aid communities in Badghis province where flooding has left 58 people dead and some 100 missing, and affected some 5,500 others people, with solid co-ordination between the Government, the UN, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and the international security force known as ISAF, according to a press statement issued at UN Headquarters in New York.
The UN World Health Organisation (WHO) has dispatched medical teams and 13 tons of medical supplies, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) has rushed in 30 tonnes of mixed food aid, and the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) is sending supplies, including 3,200 jackets and 15 drums of chlorine powder, UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan UNAMA) spokesman Adrian Edwards told a news briefing in Kabul, the capital.
Meanwhile, WHO and UNICEF, together with Rotary International and other partners, are supporting the latest three-day round of the polio vaccination campaign that aims to vaccinate all children in Afghanistan under the age of five.
The massive operation involves about 34,000 volunteers administering the drops of polio vaccine. Four rounds have been held so far this year, two in the spring and two in the autumn, and four additional sub-national polio campaign rounds have been conducted in the southern provinces.
WFP official Rikki Maliklali voiced concern at the food situation in the country due to drought. "The commitments for both winterization and drought are coming in very slowly. We require $48 million, which is equivalent to 74,000 tonnes of food, for the next six months," he added, noting that WFP has only about 12,000 tonnes and needs three to four months for the arrival of food into the country.
WFP pre-positions food in mountainous areas, which are totally cut off during the harsh winter months. "We have tried to pre-position food in the country to the extent possible, but we need additional commitments as soon as possible," Mr. Maliklali said.
Asked what would happen if the shortfall, which amounts to 46 per cent of the $70- million drought appeal, is not filled, he replied: "It will be a humanitarian crisis, undoubtedly, which will be very sad for us and very sad for the country... Roughly between 2 to 3 million people will be severely affected."