Finland Times

 

File Photo AFP-Lehtikuva

One month after Hurricane Matthew pummeled Haiti, nearly 600,000 children remain in need of humanitarian assistance, stalked by disease, hunger and malnutrition, UNICEF said Friday.

 

"One month after the hurricane, life for more than half a million children in Haiti is still far from back to normal," said Marc Vincent, UNICEF Representative in Haiti. "Too many children are still homeless, hungry, out of school and in danger. We are scaling up our response and are determined to help as many of them as possible as fast as we can."

 

Taking stock of the situation of children since the Category 4 storm flattened buildings and destroyed livelihoods, UNICEF said there have been at least 1,000 suspected cholera cases among children in the past month. Out of 219 cholera treatment centers in the country, 18 have been damaged in the worst-hit departments of Grand'Anse and South, further complicating efforts to contain the disease.

 

Total destruction of crops and loss of food-stocks and livestock in some of the worst affected areas have left over 800,000 people in need of immediate food assistance and more than 112,000 children at risk of acute malnutrition.

 

An estimated 50,000 children have been left homeless and are staying in temporary shelters. Another 3,500 children living in institutions need help accessing nutrition, water and sanitation services.

 

UNICEF is working with national and other partners to provide basic assistance to the most vulnerable children.