Media Center

BEIJING, 30 May 2008 –A UNICEF emergency relief shipment containing 86 tons of health and nutritional supplies for children and pregnant women arrived in Sichuan on Friday May 30. The shipment of "emergency health kits" consisting of basic medicines and equipment, nutritional supplements and obstetric supplies arrived by air from the UNICEF global warehouse in Denmark.

©UNICEF/CHINA/2008 Chen Xuefeng, a UNICEF child protection specialist plays with a young child in a local Children Welfare Institute

From the capital city Chengdu, the goods have been transported to the thirteen counties worst hit by the May 12 earthquake, including the epicentre Wenchuan, Li Xian, Mao Xian, Heishui, Beichuan, Anxian, Pingwu, Jiangyou, Mianzhu, Shifang, Qingchuan, Du Jiangyan and Chongzhou.

The supplies will provide support for the basic health needs of 1.4 million people over three months and for the safe handling of up to 2,000 complicated deliveries. UNICEF worked closely with national and local authorities to coordinate the massive shipment.

This first of several health related consignments to be shipped in by air by UNICEF included 140 emergency health kits covering the needs of a population of 10,000 people, 80 neo-natal resuscitation kits, 80 sterilization kits and special nutritional supplements for 110,000 children under five and 42,000 pregnant women.

Children who have been relocated in temporary camps and shelters are at higher risk of common diseases such as diarrhoea and respiratory infections which can cause serious problems in young children.

Dr. Yin Yin Nwe, UNICEF Representative and UN Disaster Management Team Chair said: "We are very pleased to see our first shipment of health kits and nutritional supplements reaching Sichuan. These supplies will go to the worst hit counties to help with both the emergency related and routine health problems in these areas. The nutritional supplements will help children and pregnant women stay healthy and resist infections."

©UNICEF/CHINA/2008 UNICEF supply warehouse staff prepare shipment of emergency health kits bound for the 13 counties in Sichuan worst hit by the 12 May earthquake.

About UNICEF in China:
UNICEF first assisted China between 1947 and 1951, providing emergency services, food and nutrition, health and hygiene training during and after the Revolutionary War. In 1979 UNICEF officially commenced its cooperation with the Government of China to support child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is on the ground in over 150 countries and territories to help children survive and thrive, from early childhood through adolescence. 

For further information, please contact:
Dale Rutstein, UNICEF China, +86 13910973801, drutstein@unicef.org or Liu Li, UNICEF China, +86 13701066671, liliu@unicef.org