Every year, ADRA joins the world in marking World Health Day on April 7 to help bring attention to critical issues that affect us all. This year the theme is a timely one: Building a fairer, healthier world.
The world we live in isn’t always equal, a fact that is seen very clearly in the health of people and communities everywhere. Being born in the “right” place with easier, more affordable access to health services, safe water sources, nutritious food, medication, and support can mean the difference between a long, healthy life and one of chronic illness, pain, disability, or even an early death.
We are seeing this before our eyes right now with the COVID-19 crisis. For some parts of the world, hope is on the horizon with vaccine access rolling out to more and more of the population.
For millions more, this crisis is far from over. For many, it is actually getting worse.
- The number of people facing starvation has doubled over the past 12 months, bringing the number to 270 million.
- 11 million of those facing this hunger crisis are children.
- Schools have been closed for 168 million children globally, many of whom do not have access to remote learning.
- For those already struggling, the pandemic’s disruption to livelihoods has pushed them further into poverty.
- Only 1% of vaccine doses administered globally have gone to those in low-income countries
This doesn’t mean we should lose focus on hope. In fact, this is the time to put our hope into action for others! ADRA has launched the next phase of our COVID-19 response, putting the focus on the evolving needs of those whose lives continue to be disrupted by the pandemic.
The sooner everyone everywhere has access to the vaccine, the sooner they regain access to education, livelihoods, being able to feed their families, and everything else they need to thrive. ADRA’s latest projects are helping communities overcome the hurdles standing between them and access to vaccines, as well as providing emergency resources to support the vital needs of those in crisis until the vaccine is readily available.
Time and time again, our actions prove that we are stronger together. We have been overwhelmed with the outpouring of support that our community has shown during this pandemic. Last year alone, ADRA supporters helped us reach almost 20 million people in 96 countries with urgent COVID-19 resources!
Let’s act together again now to help build a fairer, healthier world for all.
To read more about the support ADRA has already provided to millions affected by COVID-19, our global report is available online: https://adra.org/ADRA-provides-hope-during-coronavirus
Sources
UN News: https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/12/1079742
UNICEF: https://www.unicef.org/coronavirus/covid-19#latest-covid-updates
