Monday, April 16, 2007

WFP restarts feeding programs in Cambodia

April 16, 2007

The World Food Program (WFP), which was forced to suspend its feeding programs for nearly 750, 000 Cambodians in February when funding dried up, will restart the programs for tuberculosis and HIV-AIDS patients this month, local media reported on Monday.

Food distribution for about 70,000 HIV-AIDS patients and 18,000 tuberculosis patients are being phased in this month, while school feeding programs for 650,000 students will resume in May, the Cambodia Daily quoted Coco Ushiyama, WFP acting country director, as saying.

The WFP, which appealed for 10 million U.S. dollars in January to fund its feeding programs through July, has received around 6.5 million U.S. dollars plus in-kind donations since programs stopped, Ushiyama said.

The donations, which included 2,000 tons of rice from the Cambodian government, will enable the UN agency to run the school breakfast program at least until the end of the academic year in July, and to provide rations for tuberculosis and HIV-AIDS patients for six months, she said.

The WFP still requires more funding to restart all programs in Cambodia and to keep them going in the future, she added.

Source: Xinhua

No comments: