The adverse impact of the Greek wildfires crisis on children is the focus of a call-out “for urgent assistance” issued by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) this week.
Children have been among the hardest hit by the disaster, said Ghassan Khalil, UNICEF Representative in the Mediterranean nation.
“They have lost their homes, families have lost their livelihoods, and some have lost their lives. Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with all those affected and all those responding.”
Two children are also among the cohort of migrants who lost their lives in the national forest of Dadia, “both asylum seekers, according to news reports”, the UN agency states.
UNICEF is currently working with authorities and humanitarian partners to support children affected by the fires and their families, providing them with medical supplies, essential items and psychosocial support.
It follows the evacuation of the Alexandroupoli hospital amidst the threat of wildfires, with 11 newborns among patients in intensive care who have had to be moved to a makeshift hospital on a boat.
“Many children are also suffering health issues, especially due to the air pollution caused by the blaze,” UNICEF said.
It is estimated that around 30,000 children are among the local population of 100,000 impacted across the region of Evros in northeastern Greece.
