1.5m Children At Risk As Floods Hit Nigeria – UNICEF

Over 2.5 million people in Nigeria are in need of humanitarian assistance and 60 per cent of which are children, says the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

The UN agency warned that the affected children are at risk of waterborne diseases, drowning and malnutrition due to the most severe flooding.

UNICEF therefore, called for additional funding and resources to respond to growing needs and sustain ongoing humanitarian interventions, with a focus on the most vulnerable, including children with disabilities.

The floods, which have affected 34 out of the 36 states in the country, have displaced 1.3 million people. Over 600 people have lost their lives and over 200,000 houses have either been partially or fully damaged.

Cases of diarrhoea and water-borne diseases, respiratory infection, and skin diseases have already been on the rise.

In the north-eastern states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe alone, a total of 7,485 cases of cholera and 319 associated deaths were reported as of 12 October. As rains are expected to continue for several weeks, humanitarian needs are also expected to rise.

UNICEF Representative in Nigeria, Cristian Munduate, said, “Children and adolescents in flood-affected areas are in an extremely vulnerable situation.

“They are particularly at risk of waterborne diseases and emotional and psychological distress. UNICEF is working closely with the Government and other partners to provide life-saving assistance to those who are most in need.”

It further said the floods are adding another layer of complexity to an already precarious humanitarian situation in the country, saying that immediate priority needs for children include health, water, sanitation, and hygiene; as well as shelter and food.