By Wang Zhuoqiong (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-05-30 08:21

A United Nations shipment of nutritional food, medicines and equipment will arrive in Sichuan province today.

The shipment, totaling 100 tons, from the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) will provide basic health needs for 1.4 million people for the next three months.

Yin Yin Nwe, UNICEF Representative and UN Disaster Management Team Chair, said yesterday: "These supplies will go to the worst-hit counties to help with both emergency related and routine health problems.

"The nutritional supplements will help children and pregnant women stay healthy and resist infections."

The shipment is being delivered from Denmark.

The agency has worked closely with national and local authorities to coordinate distribution to the 13 worst-hit counties in Sichuan.

Children who have been relocated to temporary camps and shelters face a high risk of contracting diarrhea and respiratory infections, experts said. The agency is also providing psychosocial care.

"Children are under great stress," Nwe said.

"One young boy I met who had lost both parents, could only state his name. All partners concerned with protecting these children have a huge task ahead of them."

UNICEF's support is part of the UN's relief efforts.

The UN Development Programme (UNDP) has sent a third shipment of relief supplies - 30,000 blankets and 10,000 emergency lights. The shipment will arrive in Chengdu tomorrow.

The second UNDP contribution of 60,500 quilts arrived in Chengdu on Wednesday. The first consisting of 358 tents and 1,500 quilts arrived in Chengdu last Friday.

(China Daily 05/30/2008 page4)