WHO Health Emergency Appeal: Drought crises in the Sahel and Greater Horn of Africa

About

As people become increasingly food insecure, they also must make the impossible choice between food and healthcare, even as nutritional deficiencies make them increasingly vulnerable to disease. This is particularly true for children, for whom the combination of malnutrition and disease can prove fatal.

As families face extreme hunger, many have left their homes in search of food and water, and pasture for animals. Outbreaks of infectious diseases are a major concern, especially when combined with low existing vaccination coverage and health service availability.

WHO is coordinating with partners in the health sector and beyond to ramp up its response in the region to avert the worst effects of extreme hunger and to give people access to the health services they need.

Along with countering the consequences of malnutrition, WHO is helping countries to prepare for outbreaks of diseases like cholera, measles and malaria. This includes improving surveillance systems for communicable diseases to identify and respond to new outbreaks quickly.

Among affected populations, WHO helps ensure that essential health services like those for sexual and reproductive health, treatment for chronic infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and HIV, as well as mental health services as people are at high risk of violence and distress can continue without disruption.

About the Host

Since the opening of its offices in New York City in 2002, the King Baudouin Foundation United States (KBFUS) has served as a knowledgeable bridge between American donors and nonprofit organizations overseas.

We work with individuals, families, corporations and foundations, and help them support their favorite causes across the globe – whether it’s a children’s hospital in Egypt, a research institute in Belgium, a business school in Kenya, or an art museum in Italy.

KBFUS is a ‘philanthropy architect’ – we craft personalized solutions for one-time gifts, recurring donations through Donor Advised Funds, planned giving with Legacy Funds, and gifts of artworks to museums overseas.