7.5pc Rohingya kids victims of severe malnutrition: Unicef

Preliminary data from a nutrition assessment conducted last week at Kutupalong refugee camp in Cox's Bazar shows a 7.5 percent prevalence of life-threatening severe acute malnutrition - a rate double seen among Rohingya child refugees in May 2017, Unicef said yesterday, reports UNB.

"The Rohingya children in the camp - who have survived horrors in Myanmar's northern Rakhine State and a dangerous journey here - are already caught up in a catastrophe," said Unicef Bangladesh Representative Edouard Beigbeder in a media release.

"Those with severe malnutrition are now at risk of dying from an entirely preventable and treatable cause," he said.

Malnutrition rates among children in northern

Rakhine were already above emergency thresholds. The condition of these children has further deteriorated due to the long journey across the border and the conditions in the camps.

Around 26,000 people now live in the Kutupalong

camp faced with an acute shortage of food and water, unsanitary conditions and high rates of diarrhoea

and respiratory infections. Cases of measles have been reported.

The Kutupalong nutrition assessment, conducted between October 22 and 28, surveyed 405 households, including families who arrived there both before and after violence escalated in northern Rakhine on August 25.

 

7.5pc Rohingya kids victims of severe malnutrition: Unicef

Preliminary data from a nutrition assessment conducted last week at Kutupalong refugee camp in Coxs Bazar shows a 7.5 percent prevalence of life-threatening severe acute malnutrition - a rate double seen among Rohingya child refugees in May 2017, Unicef said yesterday, reports UNB. The Rohingya children in the camp - who have survived horrors in Myanmars northern Rakhine State and a dangerous journey here - are already caught up in a catastrophe, said Unicef Bangladesh Representative Edouard Beigbeder in a media release. Those with severe malnutrition are now at risk of dying from an entirely preventable and treatable cause, he said. Malnutrition rates among children in northern Rakhine were already above emergency thresholds. The condition of these children has further deteriorated due to the long journey across the border and the conditions in the camps. Around 26,000 people now live in the Kutupalong camp faced with an acute shortage of food and water, unsanitary conditions and high rates of diarrhoea and respiratory infections. Cases of measles have been reported. The Kutupalong nutrition assessment, conducted between October 22 and 28, surveyed 405 households, including families who arrived there both before and after violence escalated in northern Rakhine on August 25.