They stand out as "extremely worrying" health situation in North Korea
The North Korean Red Cross described as "extremely worrying" the health situation in that country as a result of the impact on the sanctions affecting the Pyongyang regime, local agency Yonhap said today.
The assessment is contained in a note posted on the website of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, which highlights the need to provide more humanitarian assistance to that country.
The Pyongyang regime is subject to economic and political sanctions by the United Nations and the United States to force North Korea to cease its ballistic and nuclear program that it maintains.
The note of the general secretary of the Red Cross in North Korea, Ri Ho Rim, argues that "the situation is health (in the country is extremely worrying" and "the impact of sanctions on basic medicines is severe."
"For example, the lack of vaccines, antiviral drugs, rapid test kits, personal protective equipment for health workers and hand sanitizers became important factors in the outbreak of influenza earlier this year," says Ri. in the note collected by the Red Cross.
According to the data included, 10.3 million people suffer from food insecurity in the country, malnutrition and lack of access to basic services.
These problems were exacerbated this year by a heat wave, drought, typhoons, floods and debris.
"Despite the recent diplomatic meltdown", the humanitarian situation in North Korea "remains one of the most chronic and neglected crises in the world, with UN sanctions that have unintended consequences for already vulnerable people", adds the note from the Red Cross.
