The U.N. children's fund (UNICEF) this month shipped 1,000 metric tons of life-saving supplies for children caught in the world's most urgent crises, making it the largest emergency supply operation in the organization's history in a single month. "UNICEF's massive deployment responds to a massive need in many different countries at the same time," Shanelle Hall, UNICEF's director of supply and logistics operations, said in a statement Tuesday. "Now it is vital to keep humanitarian corridors open so these supplies continue to reach the children who desperately need them." Hall said that kids are facing a lot of crises in the world and that they are under a lot of stress. In 27 days, the fund's Copenhagen supply hub has dispatched 33 emergency cargo loads to the world's most troubled regions. The total amount of aid delivered would fill 19 cargo jumbo jets and has primarily gone to six countries. UNICEF also delivered 500 metric tons of emergency food rations, water, medical supplies, tents, and ready-to-use therapeutic food to Iraq's displaced families and children in the northwest. The fund's dispatch of 4 million doses of polio vaccine will protect children's health in the wake of the re-emergence of the disease due to the breakdown of health systems in neighboring Syria, Hall said. Meanwhile, Gaza has received nearly 3.5 metric tons in supplies, mostly in the form of essential medicines to restock hospitals and health facilities that have been damaged in the conflict with Israel. UNICEF has also supplied vaccines which are essential to protect children who become especially vulnerable during massive population displacements. In Syria, Hall said that in August the children's fund delivered 89 metric tons of water purification tablets and education kits. UNICEF is also bringing in over 156 metric tons of health, education, and water supplies for displaced Syrian families in Lebanon and Jordan. Preparation for winter is underway as UNICEF stockpiles children's winter clothing sourced from local suppliers in the region. "During multiple crises of this magnitude children must come first. UNICEF is committed to staying the course. As long as children are in need we will continue to undertake these urgent, complex and vast supply operations," Hall said.
