The head of the World Health Organization warned on Wednesday that an additional 10,000 children could die of malnutrition every month this year due to the Covid 19 crisis.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a US Food
and Agriculture (FAO) conference that the epidemic caused severe malnutrition
in children this year - or 6.7 million more people - mostly in sub-Saharan
Africa and South Asia. An increase of 14% is expected.
"We cannot accept a world where the
rich have access to healthy food while the poor are left behind ... the rich
can afford to stay at home, the poor must go out to work," he said. "
The WHO Director-General added that in the
wake of the economic devastation of the epidemic, governments have called on
the private sector and civil society to support sustainable food systems and
eliminate subsidies for unhealthy food manufacturers. Should work together.
"If countries expand their childhood
feeding programs, reduce the marketing of unhealthy foods, and use fiscal
policies, consumers can choose better foods," he said.
"Life reminds us that life is
fragile, health is precious, and healthy food is not just for the rich, it's a human right," he said.
"The epidemic has severely disrupted
essential services, immunizations, maternity services, child nutrition, family
planning and more."'
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