Press action medeor

In view of the recent severe flooding in Somalia, the health aid organization action medeor is currently appealing for support for the Somali population. Particularly in the south of the country, prolonged heavy rainfall has led to the worst flooding in decades. “Houses, bridges, roads, markets, wells, latrines, schools, hospitals, refugee camps and fields have been destroyed by the floods,” Sid Peruvemba says, spokesman for the board of action medeor. After almost three years of drought, Somalia is now facing the effects of the global climate phenomenon El Niño, Peruvemba explains.

The “emergency pharmacy of the world”, as action medeor is also known, has been active in the Somali region of Hiraan in the south of the country for years. "In this region alone, around 180,000 people have been displaced from their villages and homes. Those most affected are pregnant and breastfeeding mothers, children under five, the elderly and people with disabilities,” Peruvemba remarks.

Action medeor now fears that the already high numbers of malnourished children will continue to rise in the coming months. And also the risk of malaria, as the disease is transmitted by mosquitoes, which are now multiplying rapidly in the masses of water. “The combination of malaria and malnutrition is particularly dangerous for children,” Peruvemba points out. "If the disease is not treated in time, it can be fatal. But that's exactly what we want to prevent."

action medeor is now trying to organize aid as efficiently as possible. “In our aid project in the Hiraan region, two medical teams are traveling to remote villages as mobile clinics, treating malnutrition and providing healthcare,” Peruvemba states. This enabled them to provide first aid at short notice after the floods. “Instead of cars, donkey carts were used to bring the medicines to the displaced people in the flooded areas,” Peruvemba says. "Unfortunately, however, the needs are significantly higher than our capabilities. More funding is needed for additional medicines. People are at the end of their tether and need our support." In addition to medicines, water, food, tents and mosquito nets to protect against malaria are also needed.

If you would like to support the work of action medeor, you can make a donation - either by bank transfer to the donation account with the IBAN DE78 3205 0000 0000 0099 93 at Sparkasse Krefeld, donation keyword “Emergency aid worldwide”, or online at www.medeor.de/spenden. The advantage of online donations: Here you can also leave an address for the donation receipt.

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