World News in Brief: Aid for Ukraine, drone attacks in Sudan, DR Congo deaths, neurological disorders in the Americas

This article is published in association with United Nations.

UN partners launched the Winter Response Plan to help 2.1 million people in Ukraine survive another cold season as the country grapples with the on-going Russian invasion.

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The UN’s office in Ukraine announced on Wednesday that its partners are seeking $358.4 million to provide heating assistance, shelter repairs, health care, protection and food and cash assistance to Ukrainians this coming winter.

“Last winter showed us that attacks on energy can leave families without heating, electricity and water for days – and sometimes weeks – during freezing temperatures,” said Matthias Schmale, humanitarian coordinator for the country.

“Humanitarian organizations are preparing now so we can reach people before winter arrives.”

Mr. Schmale added that the winter assistance will target people living closest to the frontline, newly displaced and evacuated people, those affected by attacks on civilian infrastructure and vulnerable groups at heightened risk of being left behind.

Drone strikes kill dozens in Sudan

Between Monday and Tuesday, two drone strikes likely launched by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia battling Government troops for control of Sudan, killed at least 27 civilians and injured several dozen more.

On Monday, drones hit a market in Ar Rahad, North Kordofan, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported. The following day, an even more deadly attack targeting a vital water source hit the Tina region in North Darfur.

“Markets are places where families gather to buy food, earn a living and meet basic needs,” UNICEF Representative in Sudan Sheldon Yett said after Monday’s attack. “They should never become places of death and devastation.”

The strikes are the latest in an ongoing war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and RSF, which has already killed at least 59,000 people and displaced at least 14 million more.

Children pay highest price

With 33.7 million people – about 64 per cent of Sudan’s population – needing humanitarian aid, the UN has called the humanitarian crisis in Sudan the world’s worst

The RSF currently surrounds and conducts frequent drone strikes on the city of El Obeid, North Kordofan’s capital, prompting widespread concerns that the situation there could become the next El Fasher – where the RSF killed thousands of civilians last year following months of siege.

In his Tuesday statement, Mr. Yett said El Obeid is part of a larger crisis facing children in Sudan, who face severe insecurity due to destroyed schools, homes, health facilities, water systems and markets.

Fighting in eastern DR Congo hinders humanitarian access

At least 30 people were killed and dozens more were injured in attacks in the Beni territory of DR Congo between 13 and 19 July, causing at least six humanitarian organizations to suspend movements to areas in that territory.

“Insecurity continues to impact humanitarian operations in the eastern parts of North Kivu province,” UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said on Wednesday. “This includes our efforts to respond to the ongoing Ebola outbreak, which is only getting worse.”

The ongoing clashes between the Congolese security forces and M23 armed group in the volatile east continue to displace civilians and restrict humanitarian access.

Ebola continues to spread

Also in the DRC, national health authorities have reported 2,473 confirmed Ebola cases across the provinces of Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uele and Tshopo.

The UN continues to work with humanitarian partners and local authorities to scale up surveillance, laboratory testing, treatment and community engagement activities, and UN peacekeepers there are working to deter attacks on healthcare facilities.

“We reiterate our call on all parties to protect civilians and ensure safe and unhindered humanitarian access,” Mr. Dujarric said. “The safety of all health workers and humanitarian personnel remains essential to containing the outbreak and delivering assistance to all those people who need it.”

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UN report details neurological disorders in Americas

Researchers with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), a sub-agency of the World Health Organization (WHO), found in a study published on Wednesday that nearly 470 million people across North and South America have at least one neurological disorder.

The figure represents two in five people living in the Americas and includes conditions such as migraine, stroke, epilepsy and Alzheimer’s disease.

Neurological disorders affect the brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerves and can impair movement, memory, learning, communication and behaviour, according to a PAHO press release on Wednesday.

Gaps remain in care access

The study also found that age-adjusted death rates have declined since 1990, meaning more people now survive these conditions and require access to long-term care and support services.

However, not all people living in the Americas can access this care.

Researchers found nearly a fourfold difference between countries with the highest and lowest burden – based on a measure of years of life lost to disease. Countries with the highest burden included Haiti, Guyana and Suriname, while countries with the lowest burden included Colombia, Peru and Argentina.

The disparities in care access reflect differences in exposure to risk factors as well as persistent gaps in access to prevention, diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation and long-term care.

In terms of risk factors, PAHO said a significant share of neurological health loss can be prevented by controlling or avoiding high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, tobacco use and harmful environmental exposures.