Anjali Sharma
GG News Bureau
UNITED NATIONS, 13th Jan. World Health agency on Friday said that the widespread flooding due to heavy rainfall in the Republic of Congo has left 336,000 people in need of urgent humanitarian assistance.
WHO noted that floods have damaged health facilities and schools and submerged large areas of vital farmland.
It said that 9 of the 12 country’s departments have been affected, with those in the north of the country as well as departments bordering the Congo River among the most severely impacted.
The experts estimate that the current rainfall is twice the average recorded in the 2022–2023 season.
The floods have destroyed or damaged 34 health facilities, 120 schools and more than 64 000 houses in the affected areas.
Humanitarian needs are projected to rise, further worsening the plight of the affected population.
Dr. Lucien Manga, WHO Representative in the Republic of Congo said “WHO is committed to supporting the government to ramp up emergency response to save lives and ensure access to critical basic services,”
“We are working with partner organizations to bolster relief response, support livelihoods and limit the threat of diseases outbreaks.”
WHO is boosting efforts to provide emergency health services to avert spread of diseases; essential medicines and life-saving medical supplies; and ensure critical quality health services through functional health facilities and mobile clinics.
