By Staycey Yalo – EMTV News, Port Moresby
23 loads of relief supplies containing tents, tarpaulin, water purification tablets, hygienic kits and more were transported to Papua New Guinea (PNG) by UNICEF yesterday for families who were badly affected by the 26th February earthquake.
While access to remote and isolated villages remains a challenge, UNICEF has been working closing with PNG Government and partners to ensure humanitarian supplies are distributed to affected communities.
The government estimates that 270,000 people are in need of urgent assistance after the 7.5 magnitude in the Highlands Region. This figure includes 125, 000 children.
This week, 23 metric tonnes of relief supplies containing tents, water proof sheets, water purification tablets, blankets, hygiene kits, and learning kits arrived in the country.
The supplies which arrived are part of relief through partnership between the PNG Government, the UN System, the Australian Government, New Zealand and other public & private partners.
UNICEF estimates that over the next nine months, about K45 million is needed to provide humanitarian assistance to children and families affected by the earthquake.
This is to help provide clean water, sanitation and hygiene in temporary shelters, psycho- social support in safe places, vaccinations and malnutrition treatment and support for children to return to school.
