STAFF WRITER
A United Nations (UN) agency has launched a US$65.8 million appeal to ease the country’s humanitarian crisis that has been exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“UNICEF is appealing for US$ 65.8 million to meet the humanitarian needs in the country in 2021 as a result of the multiple hazards of residual impacts of Cyclone Idai and floods, Covid-19 and diarrheal disease outbreaks, and the economic crisis,” the UNICEF said in the situation report.
According to UNICEF, as of 30 August 2021, funds totalling about US$ 11 million had been received from various donors that include China, Germany, Japan, US Fund for UNICEF, Denmark, Danish Committee for UNICEF and UNICEF Global Thematic Humanitarian among other funding partners.
“Despite improved cereal security in Zimbabwe as a result of increased maize yield in 2021, pockets of food insecurity have persisted in some areas including in urban areas where reduction in employment and household incomes compounded by the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic have affected affordability of basic food, goods and services,” the report adds.
According to the Zimbabwe statistical agency, ZIMSTAT Rapid PICES phone survey conducted from December 2020 to 10 March 2021, a significant share of households continued to report reduced income from various sources in the aftermath of the second wave of the Covid-19 outbreak.
This comes at a time the government has expressed concern over the recent surge in prices of basic commodities with parallel market exchange rates worsening the situation.
