Press Release [No. SEGL3/B/62/03]
TUNIS, 3 NOVEMBER 2003 - The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank (ADB) approved in Tunis on Tuesday, 28 October 2003, a grant of 500,000 US dollars to help finance a humanitarian relief assistance to people affected by floods during the 2003 summer in Sudan.
The ADB humanitarian relief assistance is to control the outbreaks of malaria, cholera and other communicable diseases among the flood victims. The grant will entail the provision of kits to prevent cholera and water-borne diseases, drugs and supplies, spraying equipment and chemicals for environmental sanitation.
The heavy rains the State of Kassala received unexpectedly on July 30 and August 6, 2003 caused the most important flood of the Al Gash River ever known in the history of Kassala city. Out of a population of 300,000 people in Kassala city, 210,000 (70%) were affected, and 10,000 houses were damaged. According to Government records, around 35,000 people have been displaced and housed in temporary accommodation. Thirty-four health facilities were either partially or totally destroyed. The main Kassala Hospital, which serves as the major tertiary level health facility and the sole teaching facility for the whole Eastern Region, was declared totally non-functional. The main drinking water plants on either side of the River were completely out of function for the first four days of the flood. Nineteen wells complementing the water plants and serving the areas outside the piped-water network were also completely flooded.
According to the World Health Organization, the total cost of activities to contain health impact of the floods is estimated at US$ 1.067 million. The ADB grant represents 47% of this cost.
This new funding is the second Bank Group's humanitarian relief operation in Sudan.
The Bank Group comprises the African Development Bank (ADB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF). Membership of the Bank comprises 53 African (Regional) and 24 non-African (Non-Regional) States
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