MOGADISHU, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Children's Fund, UNICEF, said Monday that it has shipped about 30 metric tons of medicine and medical supplies to support lifesaving health services in the most affected areas in Somalia.
Wafaa Saeed Abdelatef, the UNICEF representative in Somalia, said children and women make up more than 80 percent of Somalia's displaced population, and children are among the most severely affected, with 5.1 million in need of humanitarian assistance.
These challenges are compounded by outbreaks of cholera and measles, which further increase vulnerability, she said.
"The arrival of this shipment is critical for Somali children and families who are facing significant challenges due to the drought and associated outbreaks of cholera and measles," Saeed said in a statement issued in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia.
She said the essential medicines, midwifery kits and other medical supplies will enable UNICEF and its partners to reach approximately 1.3 million people in need and ensure that they have access to lifesaving health services.
UNICEF said it is working with the government and implementing partners to target famine-risk districts that are particularly vulnerable as many children, mothers, and people with illnesses or malnutrition in these areas may be unable to access healthcare.
Its top priority is to sustain a robust response to this crisis and provide an integrated package of services, including lifesaving health care, immunizations, treatment for severe acute malnutrition and access to safe and adequate water and sanitation for the most vulnerable children, it said.
