News
Sri Lanka told to ensure toll on malnourished children will not worsen
View(s):By Yoshitha Perera
In an interview with the Sunday Times, he said Sri Lanka should prioritise investment in nutrition, education, and health because these have long-term effects on the development of children and their future.
“The community’s meaningful growth is important, but currently there is a lack of ability to contribute meaningfully. This can be avoided by acting now and taking necessary precautions,” Mr. Adjei said.
George Laryea-Adjei addressing the media on Friday. Pic by Indika Handuwala
He said that nearly half of Sri Lanka’s children already require some form of emergency assistance. The education of 4.8 million children, already hampered by two years of interrupted learning, is jeopardised as school attendance continues to deteriorate.
Noting that reports of increased abuse, exploitation, and violence against children are already emerging as a result of mounting economic pressure, he said that the current crisis is forcing more and more families to place their children in institutional care because they cannot afford to provide for them, including feeding.
“If the current trend continues, hard-won progress for children in Sri Lanka risks being reversed, and in some cases erased forever,” Mr. Adjei warned.
Children are disproportionately affected by the crisis due to their age, and they require assistance to cope. The current crisis is having a variety of effects on children and the required assistance is not approaching from the family, the government or from the communities, he explained.
“The country is experiencing a food crisis. Adults may be suffering from hunger, but children are suffering from malnutrition. As a result, the impact is developmental and long-lasting. Children are fed poor quality food and are forced to skip meals. In this way, they jeopardise nutrition, which is critical for a child’s growth,” he said.
Speaking about UNICEF’s assistance to developing healthcare services, Mr. Adjei said medical supplies are now being provided to Sri Lanka in collaboration with Japan.
“As the country grapples with shortages due to an economic crisis, UNICEF is providing essential medicines to meet the urgent needs of the most vulnerable population,” he said.
Japan’s contribution of US$1.5 million will enable UNICEF to buy medicines for over 1.2 million people, among them 53,000 pregnant mothers and nearly 122,000 children in immediate need.
This is a critical issue, and more investments are needed to keep the healthcare system running, he said.
Mr. Adjei said that UNICEF is monitoring the healthcare situation and that the investments must be made in a timely manner because there are supply chain issues globally.
Explaining the regional issues that need specific attention, Mr. Adjei explained that some countries in the region, including the top five, require assistance with the mental health of young people, and that the South Asian region needs global attention in developing mental health.
“The spread of COVID-19 had a significant impact on the South Asian region,” he said.
“The Delta variant’s spread was disastrous for the region, resulting in lengthy periods of lockdown. It had a greater impact on the region’s health, particularly mental health. Suicides are on the rise in some countries, and UNICEF is working closely with governments to address the issue.’’
The best way to say that you found the home of your dreams is by finding it on Hitad.lk. We have listings for apartments for sale or rent in Sri Lanka, no matter what locale you're looking for! Whether you live in Colombo, Galle, Kandy, Matara, Jaffna and more - we've got them all!