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Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh may double: UN
Dhaka, Sep 15 (IANS) The head of the United Nations mission in Bangladesh warned on Friday that the number of Rohingya refugees fleeing ongoing violence in Myanmar — around 400,000 presently — could double in the next few weeks.
The UN agencies were not being able to reach all the refugees owing to the huge influx and were focusing on the 12 main crossing points along the 250-km-long border between Bangladesh and Myanmar, UN Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh Robert Watkins told Efe news.
“We expect a lot more people from the UN agencies and the NGOs working in this area,” Watkins said.
He added that the challenge was that the Bangladesh government had restricted the number of humanitarian agencies which could work in the area.
However, given the current influx, Bangladeshi authorities have agreed to revise the cap and authorise additional agencies to work in the area, he added.
According to the UN, 391,000 Rohingya refugees have arrived in Bangladesh since violence broke out in western Myanmar’s Rakhine state on August 25.
The Asia-Pacific spokesperson of UN’s International Organization for Migration, Chris Lom — speaking from Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh on phone — said there were thousands of Rohingyas waiting for boats to reach Cox’s Bazar and smoke billowing from burned Rohingya villages in Rakhine province in Myanmar could still be seen from Bangladesh.
The UN agencies have also boosted humanitarian assistance in the region and were trying to supply aid to the newly arrived 200,000 refugees who were living in makeshift camps, situated between larger Rohingya settlements of Kutupalong and Balukhali.
The World Health Organisation is also set to begin a vaccination campaign on Saturday for the newly arrived 150,000 children between the age of 6-15 months, to safeguard against some common diseases like measles, polio and rubella, and will distribute emergency medical aid kits, including for Cholera prevention, and 2 million tablets to purify water.
The UNICEF is also distributing Vitamin A supplements to the refugees, out of whom 240,000 are children, including 36,000 who are less than a year old, and 1,100 who are unaccompanied.
There are also 52,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women and the precarious living conditions makes them vulnerable to various diseases.
World Food Programme spokesperson Bettina Luescher said they were also able to distribute food to resettlement camps in Rakhine in Myanmar, which had not received help since August, with the help of the provincial government.
–IANS
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.