As famines of ‘biblical proportions' loom large amid Covid, UN urges world 'to act fast'

Amid Coronavirus pandemic, the United Nations reportedly warned that the world is at risk of widespread famines of ‘biblical proportions’. While the deadly virus has affected nearly 210 countries and territories globally, David Beasley, who is the head of the World Food Programme (WFP), reportedly said that urgent action was needed to avoid a catastrophe. Beasley, while addressing the UN Security Council, said that the world had to ‘act wisely and act fast’ as there could be ‘multiple famines of biblical proportions within a short few months’. 

According to the fourth annual Global Report on Food crisis, the number of suffering from hunger could almost double from 135m to more than 250m. The report also highlighted that countries including Yemen, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Afghanistan, Venezuela, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Nigeria and Haiti are at risk as they are already affected by conflict, economic crisis and climate change. 

READ: German Firms Turn To Making Masks As Demand Grows Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

Call for a global action 

Furthermore, the report also noted that 61 per cent of the population in South Sudan was affected by food crisis last year and parts of East Africa and South Asia are also facing severe food shortages caused by drought and the worst locust infestations for decades. In a call to action, Beasley reportedly said that with expertise and partnership, the team can bring together programmes necessary to make certain that the pandemic does not become a ‘human and food crisis catastrophe’. 

READ: Foreigners Repatriated From Dhaka Amid Coronavirus

The WFP’s senior economist, Arif Hussain, also reportedly said that the economic impact of the pandemic was potentially catastrophic for millions and is also a ‘hammer blow’ for those who can only eat if they earn a wage. He further added that the ‘lockdowns and global economic recession have already decimated their nests’ and it only takes one more shock, like COVID-19, to push them over the edge. Arif said that the world must collectively act now to mitigate the impact of this global catastrophe.

Meanwhile, health experts have also warned that the virus could devastate the regions that lack healthcare equipment and infrastructure. According to data from the International Rescue Committee (IRC), South Sudan, which has a population of 12 million people, has just four ventilators and 24 ICU beds. The IRC also reported that Burkina Faso has 11 ventilators, Sierra Leone 13, and Central African Republic 3. Venezuela also has only 84 ICU beds for a population of 32 million, and 90 per cent of hospitals face shortages of medicine and critical supplies. 

(Image source: AP) 

READ: Coronavirus Pandemic: Hundreds Protest NC Stay-at-home Order In Raleigh

READ: Missouri Sues China Over Coronavirus Pandemic