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UN allocates emergency funding for drought response in DPRK

Xinhua, August 19, 2015 Adjust font size:

The UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) has 6.3 million U.S. dollars for drought response in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), and UN agencies and humanitarian partners are stepping up their support to national relief efforts in the lead up to the peak of the lean season, a UN spokesperson told reporters here Tuesday.

"The resident and humanitarian coordinator for the DPRK, Tapan Mishra, said that a long period of abnormally dry weather affecting the country has resulted in drought, impacting agricultural production, reducing access to water and leading to a deterioration of health, nutrition and sanitary conditions," UN associate spokesperson Vannina Maestracci said at a daily news briefing.

"An estimated 18 million people, dependent on Public Distribution System rations, have been affected and are at risk of food insecurity, malnutrition and waterborne diseases," she said.

Rainfall figures and information from humanitarian agencies and the government indicated that parts of the DPRK are already facing serious drought. North Hwanghae, South Hamgyong and South Hwanghae are most affected provinces by the decline in rainfall, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) said in early July.

UNICEF officials have recently met with local health officials in affected provinces who confirm reports of significant increases in diarrhea among children, as the absence of rain threatens access to safe water and sanitation.

"Lack of rain reduces access to clean water and undermines effective hygiene, putting children's lives at risk," said UNICEF Regional Director Daniel Toole. "The UNICEF has already received reports that the incidence of diarrhea, globally a leading cause of death among young children -- has increased seriously in the first six months of 2015 in the drought-affected provinces."

The UNICEF has released prepositioned emergency supplies to help those in the worst-affected provinces, including water purification tablets, water storage containers and health supplies for children with severe acute malnutrition. Training on how to treat children with severe acute malnutrition has also been stepped up.

The UN agency will take time to ensure life-saving water. Hygiene, medical supplies, and the expertise to use them, are available at the levels required should the drought continue.

The drought-affected provinces are key sources of DPRK staple food crops. The UNICEF warned if the main harvest fails in those provinces food may become scarce across the country, which could dramatically increase the numbers of children at serious risk. Endite