Health supplies postponed in Somalia

Children in Somalia are at risk of diseases such as malaria, as well as malnutrition, due to the postponement of deliveries of health supplies.

Unicef was forced to postpone the dispatch of supplies for treating and preventing acute malnutrition because of hostilities against aid workers.

The delivery of malaria prevention bed nets has also been disrupted by the problem and the aid organisation estimates that more than 85,000 children are being put at risk in Somalia.

Rozanne Chorlton, Unicef representative to Somalia, said: "We need concrete assurances from local authorities for the safe delivery and storage of supplies to ensure that we can carry out programmes for the survival of Somali children and women.

"We hope these assurances will be forthcoming very soon so that we can continue our operations at a level that matches the needs of children and women and prevent the deaths that will otherwise certainly occur."

A total of 1.4 million women in central south Somalia were being targeted for treatment by Unicef.

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