Donors making a difference: in the greater Horn of Africa health crisis

WHO’s donors are supporting efforts to strengthen health systems in the greater Horn of Africa amid a humanitarian crisis brought on by drought, flooding, armed conflicts, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

On 22 June, WHO allocated more than US$16 million from its Contingency Fund for Emergencies (CFE) to the unfolding health emergency in Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda, where an estimated 80 million people face hunger. It is the CFE’s largest allocation to date.

“Many people are already starving or food insecure and are increasingly on the move in search of food and pastures,” WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said. “I am deeply concerned about the impact this will have not only on health but on overall national and regional security.”

Along with countering the consequences of malnutrition, WHO is helping countries to prepare for outbreaks of cholera, measles, malaria and other diseases. The Organization is setting up a hub in Nairobi, which will focus on building emergency health force capacity and preparedness.

Source: World Health Organization