UNHCR: US Funding Cuts Threaten Health Of Nearly 13 Million Displaced People

(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) GENEVA, March 28 (KUNA) -- The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) warned on Friday that cuts in US funding are threatening humanitarian efforts putting the health of approximately 13 million displaced people at risk and depriving 6.3 million children of life-saving health care in 2025 particularly in seven countries including Egypt and Jordan.
"The negative impacts of these funding cuts include the spread of infectious diseases such as cholera hepatitis and malaria as well as serious setbacks in efforts to combat HIV" said UNHCR's public health chief Allen Maina at a press briefing in Geneva.
Maina warned that all medical treatment for refugees in Egypt has been suspended except emergency life-saving procedures.
She added that the suspensions include planned surgeries treatment for severe conditions and medication for chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension which if left untreated could lead to dire consequences. At least 20,000 patients will be affected including many refugees who fled the war in Sudan.
She reported that the situation in Jordan is also alarming due to funding cuts 43.000 refugees risk losing access to primary health care and cash for health putting 335,000 women of reproductive age at risk of not receiving essential services for maternal care.
She also stated that in Bangladesh about one million Rohingya refugees are facing a severe health crisis including more than 40,000 pregnant women who could lose access to vital antenatal care. Additionally 20,000 children suffering from acute malnutrition may be left without life-saving treatment.
In Ethiopia a funding gap threatens 80,000 children under the age of five with life-threatening malnutrition which could increase child mortality rates and cause long-term health consequences.
She explained that the estimate of 12.8 million displaced people potentially being left without health support was based on a survey by UNHCR's health team of all the global operations where the agency has health programs.
The UNHCR official warned that very day that this financial uncertainty continues will increase the impact on the lives of the millions of men women and children around the world that have fled their homes to find safety. (end)
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