Funding gap threatens critical services for Rohingya: IOM

Heavy rain affects 18,000 refugees


FE Report | Published: July 29, 2018 10:23:50 | Updated: July 29, 2018 20:22:49


Reuters file photo used only for representational purpose

The continuation of critical services for the Rohingya is under threat as just a quarter of the funding for the joint response has been secured, says a United Nations agency.

Over 18,000 people in Rohingya camps in Cox's Bazar were affected by heavy rain last week.

Several humanitarian agencies have been working round the clock this week, as monsoon downpours caused flooding and landslides in Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said in a report.

Almost one million people are living in bamboo and tarpaulin shelters after fleeing violence in Myanmar, said the report released on Saturday.

The IOM health teams waded through waist-high water in some areas in a bid to reach their patients and were able to keep all but one medical facility operating despite extremely difficult ground conditions.

To ensure medical needs were met in the area where the clinic was not accessible to staff, an IOM mobile medical team worked out of a local school.

In total, over 1,500 medical consultations were carried out by IOM health workers on 25 July - one of the heaviest days of rain.

To ensure access to vital aid and services could continue, three teams from the Site Maintenance Engineering Project (SMEP)-a joint project among the IOM, the World Food Programme (WFP) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)-worked through the night of 25/26 July to prevent road collapses on a key route through the mega-camp.

The humanitarian agencies supported the distribution of emergency supplies, including shelter, food and bedding materials.

"With heavy rains expected to continue over the coming weeks, IOM and partners will continue to do everything we can to keep people safe and support them during these very challenging conditions," said Manuel Marques Pereira, IOM's emergency coordinator in Cox's Bazar. "But we desperately need more funding to enable us to keep up this life-saving work."

Humanitarian agencies this week also provided full shelter upgrade kits or materials such as tarpaulins and ropes to families whose shelters were destroyed and damaged by the rains.

A small number of families were relocated from one of the worst-affected flood areas to a newly-prepared area of the camp.

The IOM protection staff supported the assessment of those whose shelters were affected by the weather and helped identify extremely vulnerable individuals to ensure they received additional support, including

for those who needed emergency relocation.

Through the Inter Sectoral Coordination Group¸ the IOM has offered to support the government of Bangladesh in its work with the host community in Cox's Bazar.

mirmostafiz@yahoo.com

 

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