UNICEF seeks $7.7 mln for Ethiopian children

Addis Ababa, Jul 11: The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has appealed for .7 million to provide aid to nearly 7 million vulnerable children in Ethiopia.

''Unless the funding comes in due time, UNICEF will have to cancel the Enhanced Outreach Strategy which plays crucial role in saving the lives of millions of children,'' UNICEF country representative Bjorn Ljungqvist said in a statement yesterday.

The programme provides children with measles vaccines, mosquito nets to fight malaria and vitamin A supplements.

Measles and malaria are two of Africa's biggest killers among under fives, with at least 500,000 children dying from measles each year and one child perishing every 30 seconds from malaria.

At least 1.6 million children under five in east Africa are in urgent need of food aid due to drought, the United Nations says.

REUTERS