The UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) has allocated an additional US$650,000 (£500,000) to support Zimbabweans in need, which brings the UK’s contribution of emergency assistance in Zimbabwe to over US$1.1 million (£850,000).
The UK has committed US$28.9m (£22 million) regionally to support the humanitarian response to Cyclone Idai victims in Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe.
Today’s US$650,000 (£500,000) support will provide critical support to affected people in districts which face the risk of water-borne diseases. The funding will help to prevent potential water, sanitation and hygiene-related disease disasters exacerbating the already devastating impact of the cyclone.
The support from today’s allocation will providebasic hygiene kits, including soap, buckets and water purification tablets as well as safe drinking water to affected people, including those displaced in Chimanimani and Chipinge, by restoring piped water systems and installing tanks.
It will also ensure the setting up of sanitation facilities in key areas to reduce open defecation and minimise the risk of water contamination.
UK initially delivered nutrition supplies, essential medicines, which include treatment for diseases such as pneumonia, diarrhoea, tuberculosis and malaria, as well as family planning, to health centres across the affected area including airlifting supplies to Mutambara Mission Hospital in Chimanimani;
The UK government also reached over 4,000 people with hygiene kits including soap, buckets to carry water and water purifiers; provided psychosocial support to over 500 children who have been evacuated to Mutare from affected areas, and supported additional aid workers to help children separated from their families while also funding satellite mapping of affected areas to assess damage and access routes.
UK aid has already helped to pre-position supplies including water treatment chemicals, buckets for clean water and medicines which provided immediate relief for people who lost everything in this disaster.
All UK aid is distributed through trusted NGO partners and the UN and is given entirely on humanitarian needs. The UK continues to monitor the situation very closely and stands ready to provide further support if needed.
DFID Zimbabwe Head of Office, Annabel Gerry said, “UK aid is at the forefront of the humanitarian response to the victims of Cyclone Idai. Working with our partners, we pre-positioned essential supplies including water treatment chemicals, buckets for clean water and medicines which are already helping provide relief for people who have lost everything.
“Since the devastating cyclone hit, we have supported efforts to make sure these supplies reach those in need and provided children and young mothers with psychological first aid.
“The people of Zimbabwe as well as those in Mozambique and Malawi are firmly in our thoughts at this difficult time. We will continue to assess the situation closely; the UK stands ready to provide further support if needed.”
