Nigerian Times

10 Feb 2012 15:00 Africa/Lagos UNICEF Racing to Prevent a Full-Scale Humanitarian Crisis in West and Central Africa One million children at risk of life-threatening malnutrition in Sahel region - $67 million needed for immediate relief efforts African children are among the most endangered species on planet earth with harrowing nightmares of famine and conflicts. Photo Credit: Nigerian Times . NEW YORK, Feb. 10, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In an effort to avert a large-scale loss of life due to malnutrition and disease, UNICEF is ramping up its operations in eight countries in the Sahel region of West and Central Africa. An initial $67 million is urgently needed for UNICEF's relief operations to save children's lives and prevent a humanitarian disaster from unfolding. It is estimated that across the region more than one million children will suffer in 2012 from severe acute malnutrition, a life-threatening condition that requires immediate treatment. The period between harv...

Hunger is eating up the poor children in Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya while children in America and other developed nations are over fed and obese. ~ Orikinla Osinachi, Nigerian poet and blogger 22 Jul 2011 16:15 Africa/Lagos UNICEF: Horn of Africa is a "Crisis for Child Survival" Children's agency massively scaling up operations to respond to urgent needs PR Newswire NEW YORK, July 22, 2011 NEW YORK, July 22, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- With famine now declared in two regions of Southern Somalia and malnutrition rates at emergency levels in arid and semi-arid regions across the Horn of Africa, nearly 720,000 children are at risk of death without urgent assistance. In total 2.23 million children in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia are estimated to be acutely malnourished. "This summer has been an unspeakable nightmare for millions of children in the Horn of Africa," said President and CEO of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF Caryl Stern. "We cannot control the weath...

11 May 2008 12:57 Africa/Lagos UNICEF REPORT: Desperate Conditions for Children in Camps Without Clean Water as Cyclone Aftermath Worsens NEW YORK, May 11 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The situation for children continues to worsen in Myanmar as thousands of children have been separated from their families, many more are living in desperate conditions in relief camps, and some are drinking water from ponds covered with dead bodies, a UNICEF report stated today. The information is contained in a new situation report received from UNICEF's 10 offices in Myanmar. It details the most urgent needs of women and children and clearly shows the magnitude of devastation in the delta region. In Bogalay Township, ponds are covered with dead bodies of humans and animals. Currently, people are trying to pump water from the pond, which can be bleached, but it can only serve the nearby communities. Also in this township, hospitals are overcrowded with up to 6,000 patients every day. The very grave th...

29 Nov 2007 16:50 Africa/Lagos Measles Deaths in Africa Plunge by 91% Africa Leads Strong Decline in Global Measles Deaths Joint News Release: American Red Cross/UN Foundation/CDC/WHO/UNICEF/62 ATLANTA, GENEVA, NEW YORK and WASHINGTON, Nov. 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Measles deaths in Africa fell by 91 percent between 2000 and 2006, from an estimated 396,000 to 36,000, reaching the United Nations 2010 goal to cut measles deaths by 90 percent four years early. The spectacular gains achieved in Africa helped generate a strong decline in global measles deaths, which fell 68 percent worldwide -- from an estimated 757,000 to 242,000 -- during this period. The progress was announced today by the founding partners of the Measles Initiative: the American Red Cross, UNICEF, the United Nations Foundation, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO). The data will be published in the November 30th editions of WHO's Weekl...