Unicef: Six million children require aid in Ethiopia

Unicef has warned that up to six million children in Ethiopia require health and nutrition interventions.

It says that $50 million (£25.4 million) is required in aid as the situation is the worst since the major humanitarian crisis of 2003, with an estimated 126,000 children in need of urgent therapeutic care for severe malnutrition.

Unicef Ethiopia has asked for $20 million (£10 million) so far for emergency nutrition, but has only received $1 million (£508,000) to date. It says the extra $30 million (£15.2 million) is needed for measles vaccination, control of diarrhoeal diseases, outreach health activities and sanitation.

Bjorn Ljungqvist, Unicef representative in Ethiopia, said that the "mechanisms" and "capacity" to prevent and respond to the situation are in place but are "under resourced".

"It is extremely unfortunate that the combined effects of drought, food price hikes, and insufficient resources for preventive measures, resulted in an emergency that jeopardises significant child survival gains in Ethiopia," added Mr Ljungqvist.

Unicef has shipped emergency relief supplies to people affected by the earthquake in the Sichuan area of China. The first consignment of aid, worth $430,000, arrived in the area on May 19th.