Ms. Allegra worried over slow response to Cameroon's Humanitarian needs Twitter
The United Nations Office for Coordination of Human Affairs(OCHA) in a report published this April 22, has revealed Cameroon’s humanitarian needs is at a highest level ever, with around 4.3 million people in need of emergency assistance, marking a 30 per cent increase, compared to 2018.
This statistics is derived from an upsurge of violence rocking the North West, South West, Far North, Adamawa, East, North regions of the Country. The violence and forced displacement have dramatically affected the lives of women and children, with an increase in gender based violence as up to 80% of children are out of school, says the organisation.
As funding response, is rated all-time low, UN Humanitarian Coordinator, Allegra Baiocchi, calls on donors to help sustain lives. "The people of Cameroon deserve a chance. Communities hosting the displaced are sharing the little they have. Their generosity is exemplary”, said Ms. Allegra Baiocchi. “We need to show them the same level of generosity. We need to show them that we care. Funding remains critically low and we simply cannot sustain our activities without donors’ support. It is time to close the funding gap.”
Over three million people are severely food insecurity in Cameroon, 1.5 million in North West and South West regions alone. Among them are 222,000 children. Clashes, shut-down of activities in towns and insecurity have hampered operations in clinics and hospitals, and medical staff have been repeatedly targeted. Humanitarian organizations were able to provide basic health services to 3,700. 14,000 people received potable water and hygiene kits.
In the Far North region, one in two people does not have enough to eat. In 2018, 78,000 children under 5 years were treated for severe malnutrition. Malnutrition is likely to remain high this year or worsen if funding for prevention and treatment programmes is not forthcoming.
Government launched a humanitarian plan last February, demanding over US $299 million , to assist 2.3 million people. So far, just 11% of these funds have been raised.
Some 437,000 people have been forced from their homes in the violence-hit North-West and South-West regions, adding to the devastation by the protracted Lake Chad Basin conflict that continues to force civilians from neighbouring Nigeria to seek safety into Cameroon’s Far North region. Cameroon also hosts 275,000 Central African Republic refugees in Adamaoua, East and North region. Cameroon. Cameroon today has the 6th largest displaced population in the world, says OCHA.
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