DHAKA: The more than half-a-million Rohingya who have fled Myanmar for Bangladesh in recent weeks represent 鈥渢he world鈥檚 fastest-growing refugee crisis,鈥� UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Mark Lowcock said on Friday.
Rohingya refugees in Cox鈥檚 Bazar, Bangladesh, are at great risk of water-borne diseases despite relief efforts by the government, and local and international NGOs.
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has declared a level-3 emergency 鈥� the top level 鈥� to tackle the crisis, seeking more funds to support its initiatives.
UNICEF is appealing for $83.7 million in additional funds to deal with the refugee crisis, while the World Health Organization (WHO) is seeking $10.2 million.
UNICEF said it is speeding up efforts to stop the spread of diarrhea and cholera among refugee children, and will begin a vaccination campaign against cholera on Oct. 10.
鈥淲e鈥檝e been living in Kutupalang refugee camp in Cox鈥檚 Bazar for the last 27 days,鈥� said Rahima Khatun, 35, who was waiting at a mobile medical clinic with her two-year-old daughter Farida, who has diarrhea.
鈥淲e couldn鈥檛 feed the girl properly, and now she鈥檚 very thin,鈥� she said, adding that Farida vomits every time she eats something.
Dr. Shariful Huq Rumi, a physician with the NGO Gonoshastho Kendro who is treating refugees in Kutupalang, said: 鈥淐hildren are the most vulnerable and worst hit at this time. Nearly 60 percent of the patients affected by diarrhea are below the age of 10.鈥�
The NGO has launched two specialized diarrhea centers in collaboration with the UNHCR to treat Rohingya refugees.
The centers鈥� capacity is being increased from 20 beds to 80 to cater for the high number of patients. 鈥淲e offer round-the-clock treatment for diarrhea patients,鈥� said Rumi.
Surgeon Dr. Abdus Salam told Arab News: 鈥淲e鈥檙e trying our best to cope up with the situation, but demand is huge. Around 50 mobile clinics are working to provide medical support, 20 of them set up by the Bangladesh government. We鈥檙e all engaging in herculean efforts to address this humanitarian crisis.鈥�
UN: Rohingya represent 鈥榳orld鈥檚 fastest-growing refugee crisis鈥�
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