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The International Rescue Committee (IRC) warned this week that the humanitarian crises in Venezuela and Haiti could worsen this year if more aid funds are not delivered to meet the needs of the population.
The aid group estimates that at least 12.3 million Venezuelans and 4.7 million Haitians are currently facing food insecurity.
“The crises in Haiti and Venezuela are protracted challenges that are shaking the whole region but, as conflict escalates around the world, competing priorities are draining the attention they get,” said IRC regional vice president Julio Rank Wright, speaking to Reuters.
The IRC said that Venezuela’s health services are overburdened and medicines are unaffordable for some 9.3 million people after years of sky-high inflation and political crisis.
Moreover, the organization estimated that at least 5.2 million Haitians are in need of humanitarian aid and that about 40% of the country’s citizens are forced to skip meals.
They noted that violence has displaced more than 155,000 Haitians within the country alone, while cholera infections have resurged, with more than 22,000 suspected cases reported in January.
IRC said it is developing a response plan with local partners to combat cholera, provide health services and support survivors of gender-based violence.
