Unicef: 180 million people in conflict zones have no drinking water

Unicef: 180 million people in conflict zones have no drinking water

Conflict zones have no drinking water

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) on Tuesday denounced that more than 180 million people in conflict-affected countries do not have access to safe water, noting that water is "a right, not a privilege" for children. 

"In countries plagued by violence, displacement, conflict and instability, the most basic means of survival for children - such as water - should be a priority," urged Sanjay Wijesekera, responsible for water, sanitation, and hygiene. Unicef, in a statement sent to the press.

Unicef's appeal stressed that children living in unstable environments are four times more likely to lack potable water , occurs when World Water Week is celebrated.
Nigeria and Syria 

The organization particularly stressed the situation in Syria where, after 7 years of conflict, 15 million people need safe water, of which 6.4 million are minors, and pointed out that this basic need is often used as a weapon of war .

"Only in 2017, there were at least 30 deliberate water cuts in Aleppo, Damascus, Hama, Raqqa and Dara, with destroyed supply systems and contaminated water sources," the statement said.

The note also highlighted the case of northeastern Nigeria, where conflict in the area has damaged or destroyed 75% or water and sanitation infrastructure, leaving 3.6 million people without the basic service, which leads to malnutrition and diseases.

"When children do not have safe drinking water and when health systems are in ruins, malnutrition and life-threatening diseases such as cholera inevitably come," said Wijesekera.

One in ten children was not vaccinated in 2016, according to Unicef and WHO

6

At least 12.9 million children worldwide, nearly one in ten, were not vaccinated in 2016, according to estimates of global immunization coverage that UNICEF and the World Health Organization made public today.

Since 2010, the percentage of children who have received all mandatory vaccines has stagnated in 86% (116.5 million infants), with no significant changes in any country or region during the last year, the UN agencies said. a joint statement.

These numbers are below the target of reaching 90% of global immunization coverage , a target that would require the additional vaccination of ten million children living in 64 countries, both organizations said.

In particular, WHO and UNICEF regret that almost 13 million children did not receive the first dose of the diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTP) vaccine , putting them at serious risk of contracting these potentially life-threatening diseases.

In addition, some 6.6 million newborns who had already been vaccinated against DTPs were unable to complete the three injections needed in 2016 to obtain effective immunization.

In the case of measles, 85% of children were vaccinated with the first dose before their first anniversary through routine health checks, while those who also received the second dose fell to 64%.

On the other hand, treatment against rubella has spread worldwide since 2010, when coverage in 152 countries was 35%, while in the past year, the figure rose to 47% in the same states.