Health

According to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees  (UNHCR), Jordan launched one of the world’s first COVID-19 vaccination drives for refugees on 14 January.  An Iraqi woman in the city of Irbid was the first registered refugee to be vaccinated as part of Jordan’s national campaign.

Following is the text of UN Secretary‑General António Guterres’ video message marking the two millionth global death from COVID-19, today:

Countries face serious costs, damage and losses, unless they step up actions to adapt to the new climate reality, the United Nations Environment Programme warns in a new report released today.  Financing and implementation fall far short of needs, with adaptation costs in developing countries estimated at $70 billion.

Despite a significant drop in violations against children since the 2018 peace agreement was signed in South Sudan, continuing grave violations are mostly attributed to opposition and Government troops, including the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces, the latest report on children and armed conflict says.

Despite slightly improved humanitarian access into some areas of Tigray, the region remains critically challenged by the prevailing insecurity and bureaucratic constraints, United Nations humanitarian officials in Ethiopia report.  Health facilities in major cities are working with limited supplies and without staff.

Following is UN Secretary‑General António Guterres’ message for the International Day of Epidemic Preparedness, observed on 27 December:

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warns that 250,000 children have been displaced by the crisis in the northern province of Cabo Delgado, Mozambique.  UNICEF is concerned that safe water, sanitation and hygiene services are insufficient to meet the growing needs in overcrowded temporary accommodation centres and host communities.

The Food and Agriculture Organization said it is working to bolster the global response to the Fall Armyworm, considered one of the top 10 devastating plant pests, which places at risk up to 80 million metric tons of maize worth $18 billion per year in Africa, Asia and the Near East.

A new report by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) warns that if greenhouse gas emissions are not drastically reduced, all of the world’s coral reefs will bleach by the end of the century, and calls for even more urgent action to limit ocean temperature rise.

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees reports it is providing supplies such as mosquito nets, solar lamps, and blankets for 36,000 people in Somalia’s Puntland region who have been affected by Cyclone Gati, the strongest tropical cyclone ever recorded in the country, which made landfall in November.