08/17/2020 - 19:02
- Clarín.com
- World
At least 600,000 children may have been affected by the Aug. 4 explosion in Beirut, either directly or because they remain in shock after the blast that swept through part of the Lebanese capital and left 180 dead, said the Middle East director. and North Africa from the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), Ted Chaiban.
During a visit to the Karantina Children's Hospital, which was totally destroyed by the explosion in the Lebanese capital, Chaiban told the media that it is estimated that "about 600,000 children could be in shock, live in fear or have flashbacks" .
He estimated at 100,000 those who have suffered directly from the explosion, either due to personal injury or the destruction of their homes.
"What happened on August 4 is not something that a human being should live and much less a child," said Chaiban, who assured that Beiruti children are "traumatized and shocked."
Antonella Hitti at her brother's funeral in Beirut. AFP photo
In this regard, he pointed out that "it can be safely said that all the children who were within a radius of 20 kilometers (from the epicenter of the explosion) suffer some type of shock or trauma."
The Unicef representative inspected the state of the hospital, where part of the walls collapsed.
This sanatorium is located in one of the neighborhoods most affected by the explosion of almost 3,000 tons of ammonium nitrate that had been in a warehouse in the neighboring port of Beirut without guarding for six years.
"It is devastating, we see that this tragedy that should not have happened, has a direct impact on children," he remarked.
According to the authorities, almost 300,000 people have been made homeless, while more than 6,000 are injured.
People carry the coffins of three firefighters who died during the explosions in Beirut. Photo Xinhua
UNICEF estimates "nearly 1,000" children who were injured on August 4.
Chaiban told Efe that the humanitarian agency is trying to obtain financial resources so that the 600,000 affected children "can return to their normal lives," as well as to school.
Unicef seeks to raise 46.3 million dollars for the health and psychological response to the little ones.
"We will be working to help children go back to their schools ... and start their new academic year as 120 schools were hit by the explosions," said Chaiban during his tour to check out the pediatric department at Karantina Hospital.
The representative of that United Nations agency praised the health personnel who were able to save the newborns and the nine premature infants who were in incubators at the time of the explosion, in addition to the vaccines that were in the warehouse, thanks also to the military personnel posted next to the hospital to avoid pillage.
"It is incredible how the health personnel, nurses, doctors, did everything possible to save the children," he said.
Source: EFE and Xinhua
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