A total of over 45million children in Southern and Eastern Africa are at risk due to climate change effects worsened by the prolonged El Nino-induced heat wave, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has revealed.

The agency said the children are already facing multiple and “often overlapping crises” intensified by climate changed, including cholera outbreaks, malnutrition, drought and floods.

Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Sudan are some of worst affected countries.

During the weekend, President Lazarus Chakwera declared a State of Disaster in 23 out of the district in the country, due to EI Nino conditions.

EI Nino has led to severe damage to crops and food production, impacting two million households (an estimated nine million people, including 4.59 million children)

The government last month in Zambia declared a national emergency, the drought has effected 6.5 million people, including three million children.

In Zimbabwe, the EI Nino phenomenon has disrupted rainfall patterns, leaving families grappling with food and water insecurity.

South Sudan authorities recently ordered the closure of schools due to extreme heat wave, a move that has affected 2.2 million leaners.

Eva Kadilli Unicef Region Director for eastern and southern Africa, said climate shocks impacted the very elements that children needed to survive, including clean water, food, shelter, learning and safety.

School  closure disrupt education gains that were made, communities who depend on Agriculture face crop loss, resulting in children becoming malnourished or being forced to work to support income generation, quote in the press release.

The organization has outlined a number of programmes and services it is undertaking in response to clime change and other crises in the regions.

Cash transfers, provision of nutrient-dense food and micronutrient supplements, building shock responsive education system as well as collaborating with partners on climate resilient water solutions. These are the interventions needed to be included.

President Lazarus Chakwera on Saturday evening, declared a state of Disaster in 23 of Malawi’s 28 district, saying preliminary assessment showed that close to two million farming households were affected.

Last week, Zambia President Hakainde Hichilema described the drought in his country as the worst in the past 100 years.

Source:NPL