UAE supports UNICEF's nutrition and health programmes for Syrian children

The Ministry of International Cooperation and Development in the UAE announced 7 million US$ in funding to support UNICEF's nutrition response for children in Syria. "This recent contribution cannot be more timely," said UNICEF Gulf Area Representative Dr. Ibrahim El Ziq. "Malnutrition and nutrient deficiencies -so-called "hidden hunger" - undermine children's ability to develop properly. With the support of the UAE, UNICEF will be able to scale up nutrition response to reach many more Syrian children in need to be able to have a healthy growth." As the conflict in Syria enters its fourth year, children continue to pay the heaviest price. A crumbling health system combined with deteriorating water, sanitation services and a deteriorating economic situation has impacted families' diets. Doctors in Syria reported that they are seeing ten cases of malnutrition every week compared with less than one case per month before the conflict. To date, UNICEF has provided 90 thousand children with supplementary feeding for moderate malnutrition, and almost 14,000 more were provided with therapeutic feeding for treatment of Severe Acute Malnutrition. This latest funding from the UAE will enable UNICEF and partners to screen children for malnutrition, distribute preventive and therapeutic nutrition commodities, and educate caregivers on feeding and nutrition. "In line with our mission and responsibility in the UAE We continue to work with the international community to help the displaced and the refugees all over the world" said Sheikha Lubna bint Khalid Al Qasimi, Minister of International Development and Cooperation," We in the UAE, regret the painful impact the humanitarian crisis in Syria is having on mothers and children particularly who are suffering beyond reason. This is why we allocate seven million dollars to the United Nations Children's Fund "UNICEF"." Sheikha Lubna also added:" The UAE would like to express its deep appreciation for the tremendous efforts being made by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the valuable message carried by their great response to those affected by humanitarian disasters"