UNICEF raises 615m FCFA for the malnourished in CMR

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) organizes on Friday and Saturday in Cameroon, a fundraising of a $615 million CFA francs (1.23 million dollars) in support of 300,000 children malnourished in this country which, according to this organization, loses at least 3% of its GDP because of malnutrition, as stated in an official communiqué.

"The plan to solicit funds for the nutrition of children in Cameroon have led to UNICEF organizing on 7th and 8th November 2014, the first NUTRITION which aims to raise awareness and inform the national public opinion and the diaspora on malnutrition of children and its implications", highlighted the press release.

For this operation, the UN agency called "policies, policy makers, donors, the private sector and citizens to invest in nutrition because investing in nutrition is the duty of all," he says.

And after its estimates, "Cameroon loses at least 3% of its gross domestic product (GDP) because of malnutrition, which represents an annual loss of over 348 billion CFA francs ($696 million)".

"The funds raised will be used for the financing of UNICEF programme and the Government, fortification for young children home." This strategy is one of the interventions more effective and less expensive to reduce anaemia among children," said the press release.