Global body launches campaign to raise $30m for children

From Frank Ikpefan, Abuja

AN international non-governmental organisation, Save the Children International, has pledged to raise $30 million support children and their families in Coronavirus affected countries in Africa and globally.

The organisation said there was need for urgent support as COVID-19 cases in Africa increase by more than 500 per cent in one week.

According to the global body, if the virus continues to spread at this rate, the lives of thousands of children could be at risk.

It warned that health systems that serve some of the most vulnerable and marginalised children and families in the world will come under ever-increasing strain as the number of cases increase.

Save the Children’s Regional Advocacy Director Eric Hazard stated these in a statement yesterday in Abuja.

He noted that a spike in Covid-19 cases could risk disrupting nutrition, immunisation and other health services for children, if facilities become overstretched, health workers fall ill or families might stay away because of fears of contacting the virus.

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Hazard said: “We must support countries with weaker health systems and stand with the poorest and most marginalised communities, which do not have the means to support and protect themselves from the impact of this outbreak.

“To support children and their families in affected countries on the African continent and across the globe, Save the Children launched an appeal to raise an initial 30 million dollars in the coming months.

“International donors must invest in supporting countries to scale up their health systems, with particular support for countries that have less capacity to manage the outbreak, so that the impact on highly vulnerable children and their families is minimised as much as possible.”

Hazard noted that there are now at least 2,412 confirmed cases across 43 countries in Africa – an increase of more than 500 per cent since 17 March with only nine countries without a confirmed case.

According to him, South  Africa  has  the  most  confirmed  cases  of  COVID-19  in  sub-Saharan  Africa,  followed  by Burkina Faso, raising  concerns the virus  could overwhelm the health system,  if  infection rates continue to rise.