UNICEF: Committed to women and children of Bihar, India

PATNA, 6 September 2008 -- With the humanitarian crisis due to unprecedented floods in northern Bihar continuing the UNICEF India Country Representative Karin Hulshof today reaffirmed the UN agency's commitment to work with the government and partners to provide relief to the flood-hit people of the state, especially the most vulnerable children and women.
"In any disaster, children and women are most vulnerable to disease and distress. We heard from the government that the flood affected children and women are their top priority," she said at a visit to the state capital yesterday. "We were in Bihar yesterday, we are there today and will be there tomorrow," she added, emphasizing UNICEF's continued and long term support to the women to children of Bihar.

UNICEF relief material that includes life jackets, medical tents for childbirth, over 500,000 water purifying tablets, 200-litre capacity water tanks, over 2,500 bags of bleaching powder, 65,000 oral rehydration salt (ORS) and other materials like Albendazole tablets, buckets and mugs, tarpaulin, Vitamin A, water tanks, first-aid kits, midwifery kits and health kits have already reached the worst-affected districts. Besides, UNICEF has provided mobility support for deployment of 44 doctors and 29 paramedics from the districts not affected by floods to flood-affected districts. A disease surveillance system has also being set up with UNICEF's support in five of the worst affected districts.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• UNICEF
• Bihar
• India
• floods
• flood
• children
• health
• sanitation
• hygiene