New humanitarian aid plan for Haiti

CMC – The United Nations has launched a US$674 million plan to meet humanitarian needs this year in Haiti.

UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said the plan, which has been launched with the government and other stakeholders, seeks to provide food, shelter, health, education and protection services for 3.6 million people.

Dujarric said that it comes against the backdrop of a serious protection crisis for millions in Haiti.

In 2023, the country saw the highest number of murders, kidnappings, lynchings and sexual assaults in the last five years. Additionally, nearly one in two Haitians are food insecure, and basic services are on the verge of collapse.

Meanwhile, UN agencies and partners have warned that people caught up in humanitarian emergencies are at increased risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and other noncommunicable diseases (NCDs).

They said NCDs are responsible for 75 per cent of deaths worldwide, and it is estimated that strokes and heart attacks are up to three times more likely following a disaster.

Last year, the World Health Organisation (WHO) responded to 65 graded health emergencies worldwide, up from 40 a decade earlier.

The UN estimates that 300 million people worldwide will need humanitarian assistance and protection in 2024, with over half in need of emergency health assistance.

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