New Delhi (NVI): World Food Programme (WFP), the world’s largest humanitarian organisation, has been moving passengers and huge volumes of health and other supplies at a time when maximum commercial flights have been grounded due to COVID-19 pandemic.
However, just as demand for this service is reaching its peak, it could grind to a halt before the end of July unless substantial funding can be secured to keep WFP’s transport fleet moving, the organisation said in a release.
“Of the $965 million needed to maintain the operation through to the end of the year, only $178 million has so far been confirmed or advanced,” WFP said.
WFP has so far flown 375 passenger and cargo flights to destinations across Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East.
In addition to this, more than 2,500 responders from more than 80 aid organizations have been flown to destinations where their assistance is urgently needed.
Furthermore, enough cargo to fill 120 Jumbo Jets is waiting to be transported in the coming weeks.
Using a network of global and regional transportation hubs, WFP Aviation has over recent months transported huge volumes of urgently-needed medical supplies – including PPE, masks and ventilators – as well as staff from scores of aid organisations.
WFP has also helped set up for the humanitarian and health community include two field hospitals, one in East and the other in West Africa, and to date 16 medical evacuations have been carried out, including with WFP-contracted air ambulances.
-CHK/ARK
