NEW YORK, United States of America, March 30, 2016/APO (African Press Organization)/ —
The Government of Japan has granted US $ 1.33 million to UNICEF Burundi for the survival and health of children in Burundi.
The fund will enable UNICEF Burundi and its partners to accelerate their assistance to the most vulnerable children. It will notably support nearly 10,000 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition in the provinces of Cankuzo, Kirundo, Makamba, Rutana and Ruyigi and improve access to water and sanitation for 100,000 people living in the commune of Nyanza-Lac, Makamba province.
“This significant donation comes at a critical time for children in Burundi,” says Bo Viktor Nylund, UNICEF Representative in Burundi. “We are witnessing a sharp increase in needs among the most vulnerable children in Burundi and uninterrupted investments are required to support them.”
“As a friend of Burundi, and as in the past, Japan places great importance on the survival and health of Burundian children,” says Tomio Sakamoto, Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of Japan for Burundi, based in Rwanda. “In these current difficult times, this support is even more important.”
In Burundi, the main causes of death among children under five are: newborn deaths, acute respiratory infections, diarrhea and malaria. These diseases are compounded by chronic malnutrition, which affects more than half of under-5 children in Burundi. Malnutrition and diseases related to poor hygiene are preventable, and UNICEF has the expertise to implement interventions in this field.
UNICEF estimates that in 2016, 50,000 under-5 children will suffer from severe acute malnutrition in Burundi and need adequate treatment. In this context, the substantial donation from the Government of Japan will contribute to the critical interventions by UNICEF and its partners for improving the child health in Burundi.
