Thousands set to die of hunger as virus hits countries, warn aid agencies
HUNGER levels are rising and famine is looming in several countries, with the pandemic pushing people in fragile states towards catastrophe, a coalition of leading UK aid agencies has warned.
A report found the crisis has worsened the “dire humanitarian” situation in fragile states such as Syria, Yemen and South Sudan.
It added aid workers expect the situation to deteriorate further in the coming months, with the economic impact of the virus leaving people unable to afford food and other essentials, with thousands likely to die from hunger this year in several countries.
The Disasters Emergency Committee’s (DEC) report concluded support for the poorest communities with cash grants, vouchers for food and direct food aid should be prioritised to reduce hunger levels and stave off famine.
The DEC brings together 14 UK aid charities in times of crisis, including the British Red Cross, Oxfam and Save the Children.
Its chief executive Saleh Saeed said: “People living in places made perilous by conflict, violence and climate disasters are coping with the pandemic as best they can, but the odds are stacked against them.
“The knock-on effects of the pandemic have crippled economies, making the world’s poorest people even poorer.
“Country directors of DEC member charities fear having to re-prioritise which life-saving programmes should be funded and which of the most vulnerable people should receive humanitarian relief.”
The report covers Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia, South Sudan,
Syria and Yemen, and also reviews the situation in the Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh.
It is based on extensive interviews with frontline aid workers as well as with representatives from the United Nations and the World Health Organisation, a survey of senior aid workers working for DEC members, and detailed independent reviews of the Dec-funded response to the pandemic.
Other findings include that Covid-19 cases and deaths have been “chronically under-reported” in fragile states due to minimal testing as well as stigma and fear, health services have been overwhelmed, and aid funding is falling as humanitarian needs rise, leaving many aid agencies having to cut back on life-saving services.
The report also said the situation in some fragile states is the worst it has been in a decade – including in Syria and Yemen, where civil wars were raging before the coronavirus crisis began.
It said parts of South Sudan and Yemen are now on the brink of famine, while Afghanistan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo are at risk, driven by the pandemic’s economic impacts.
The report found funding is making a significant difference, with 88 per cent of aid workers agreeing or strongly agreeing humanitarian action had helped prevent the spread of Covid-19 in their country.