The United Nations Children’s Fund has said that no fewer than 600 Nigerians died and 1.3 million others rendered homeless as a result of the floods that ravaged most states across the country this year.
The Chief of UNICEF Field Office, Enugu, Mrs Juliet Chiluwe, stated this on Saturday, during an official handover of relief supplies by UNICEF to the Anambra State Government.
Chiluwe said the figure was based on the data made available by government.
UNICEF handed over to the Anambra Government 100 drums of chlorine for disinfection of water sources, 40 cartons of Aquatabs for household water treatment and 320 cartons of ready-to-use therapeutic food.
The supplies were received by Anambra State Deputy Governor, Dr Onyekachukwu Ibezim, on behalf of state governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo.
Chiluwe, in her address said, “We bring you greetings from UNICEF, Nigeria and sympathise with the government and people of Anambra State on the recent flooding experience, especially with the women and children who remained vulnerable during these times.
“We acknowledge that since September 2022, the worst floods in a decade affected 2.8 million people, of which an estimated 60 per cent are children, across 34 of the 36 states in Nigeria. Of those affected, 1.3 million people have been displaced, and over 600 people have died in relation to flooding, according to government data.
“Continuous heavy rains have collapsed hundreds of public health facilities, water systems and sanitation facilities, increasing the risk of waterborne diseases, such as cholera, diarrhoea, and malaria.
“To contribute to the effort of government and other development partners, UNICEF, with funding the Central Emergency Response Fund, has initiated a multi-sectoral response comprising health, child protection and WASH sectors, to mitigate the impact of the floods and support the early recovery-phase of the affected population in Anambra State.
“For child protection, the response will focus on protection concerns in three key areas: the provision of psychosocial support for flood-affected children; the prevention of family separation and the reunification of separated and unaccompanied children, as well as the strengthening of community-based protection systems.”
She added that as part of the response, UNICEF would make available essential medicines and health supplies, sexual reproductive kit, chlorine for disinfection of water sources in health centres, schools and communities.
The governor, in his response, assured UNICEF of continuous collaborations, adding that the state government was working out modalities to mitigate the effect of the flood on victims as well as put proactive measures in place to against such emergencies in the future.
He commended UNICEF’s interventions in the state, especially concerning women and children.
