Cameroon: Humanitarian workers lament inability to deliver aid in the crisis-hit regions

As Cameroon joined the world Thursday August 19, 2021 to commemorate the International Humanitarian Day, aid workers in the North West region lamented on their inability to deliver aid to the crisis-hit regions.

The ongoing armed conflict in the North West and South West regions have left many homeless with some still living in the bushes.

Given the situation, a good number of the aged have been left to take care of themselves in almost deserted villages.

Some humanitarian actors say their primary constraint is documenting the number of persons in need.

“There’s contradictory bias information from the IDPs because they are always on the move making it difficult for us to have access to them”, a humanitarian worker said.

Some humanitarian workers add that getting the much needed foodstuff, medication and other basic necessities to the displaced and suffering person is a daunting task.

Despite these challenges, the humanitarian workers say that they will continue to strategize and seek ways to get the highly needed materials and psychological assistance to those who need them in the restive regions.

The International Humanitarian Day was designated in memory of the 19 August 2003 bomb attack on the Canal Hotel in Baghdad, Iraq, killing 22 people, including the chief humanitarian in Iraq, Sergio Vieira de Mello.

In 2009, the United Nations General Assembly formalized the day as World Humanitarian Day (WHD).

Each year, WHD focuses on a theme, bringing together partners from across the humanitarian system to advocate for the survival, well-being and dignity of people affected by crises, and for the safety and security of aid workers.

This year, it highlights the immediate human cost of the climate crisis by pressuring world leaders to take meaningful climate action for the world’s most vulnerable people.

By Timfuchi Aaron