The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

The risk of diarrhoea, acute respiratory infections and other cold related diseases continue to pose a serious threat to children in the cyclone Sidr hit areas.

An estimated 300,000 children under the age of 5 are living throughout the disaster zone in makeshift camps with their families, surviving on meager food and water, without proper shelter or access to basic amenities, a UNICEF report dispatched from Geneva said.

"Children often bear the greatest brunt of natural disasters, needing the greatest assistance and care," said Louis-Georges Arsenault, UNICEF Representative in Bangladesh. Acknowledging the difficulties in access and the logistical challenge of providing relief on a massive scale, Arsenault nevertheless stressed the urgent need for providing supplementary food for children.

"Food alone is not enough to alleviate the disease burden. If they are not fed micronutrients quickly and are not protected by vitamins and iron, and if diarrhoeal diseases spread, they will die," said Arsenault.

Diseases like diarrhoea, pneumonia, fever and typhoid have already been reported in the media. The risk of diarrhoeal diseases spreading multiplies as people resort to drinking and cooking with water from rivers and canals, polluted with storm debris and the remains of dead animals, the UNICEF report feared.

The already high prevalence of chronic and acute malnutrition among children in Bangladesh makes them even more susceptible to illnesses, report added.

To address immediate needs, UNICEF is poised to commence a mass distribution of BP5 biscuits and family kits from the beginning of December, to children under three years of age and pregnant and lactating women. Distribution of these BP5 biscuits should be by road and sea to the six most severely affected districts: Patuakhali, Barguna, Barisal, Bagerhat, Pirojpur and Jhalokathi.

The distribution is being carried out jointly with the World Food Programme (WFP), Save the Children USA and local NGOs. BP-5, a high energy and ready to eat biscuit containing proteins and micronutrients, will be provided for several days followed by blended foods from WFP and the government.

UNICEF and the Save the Children Alliance are working with local partners and government bodies to ensure that their basic needs are being met as quickly as possible, the report said.

It was also informed that already 30 child centers have been established serving the needs of around 5000 children in three districts Patuakhali, Barguna and Pirojpur. A total of 380 planned in the coming weeks across all 9 cyclone affected districts.