缅北禁地

22 January 2016 鈥� The United Nations World Health Organization () and its partners announced today they predict a major global increase in health consequences of emergencies this year due to El Ni帽o.

El Ni帽o is a warming of the central to eastern tropical Pacific Ocean which affects rainfall patterns and temperatures in many parts of the world but most intensely in the tropical regions of Africa, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America which are particularly vulnerable to natural hazards. Typically, some places receive much more rain than normal while others receive much less.

鈥淔rom Ethiopia to Haiti to Papua New Guinea, we are seeing the damage from El Ni帽o, and we believe the impact on public health is likely to continue throughout 2016, even after El Ni帽o winds down,鈥� said Dr Richard Brennan, Director of WHO's Emergency Risk Management & Humanitarian Response Department, in a听.

鈥淭o prevent unnecessary deaths and illnesses, governments must invest now in strengthening their preparedness and response efforts,鈥� he highlighted.

According to a new report by WHO, severe drought, flooding, heavy rains and temperature rises are all known effects of El Ni帽o that can lead to food insecurity and malnutrition, disease outbreaks, acute water shortages, and disruption of health services.

The health implications are usually more intense in developing countries with fewer capacities to reduce the health consequences. The current El Ni帽o from 2015 to 2016 is predicted to be the worst in recent years, and comparable to the El Ni帽o in 1997-1998 which had major health consequences worldwide.

In Eastern Africa, as a result of the El Ni帽o in 1997-1998, WHO found that rainfall patterns were unusually heavy and led to serious flooding and major outbreaks of malaria, cholera and Rift Valley Fever.

Based on the latest 缅北禁地figures, the report estimates 60 million people will be impacted by El Ni帽o this year with many suffering health consequences. Thus far, requests for financial support by seven high-risk countries鈥擡thiopia, Lesotho, Kenya, Papua New Guinea, Somalia, Tanzania and Uganda鈥攈ave reached $ 76 million.

WHO expects more countries will seek financial support to respond to El Ni帽o effectively. Part of the response will be to provide additional health services to those in need, such as increased surveillance and emergency vaccination. Immediate needs also require funds to provide treatments for severely malnourished children in many countries, such as Ethiopia.