MOGADISHU, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- The UN children's fund, UNICEF, said Tuesday it has secured 20 million U.S. dollars to combat COVID-19 and strengthen emergency services in Somalia.

UNICEF Somalia Representative Mohamed Ayoya said the new funding will enable UNICEF and its partners to reach more than one million people with COVID-19 prevention messaging; 484,000 people with health services; 83,000 children with treatment for severe acute malnutrition; and 300,000 people with emergency and sustained water, hygiene, and sanitation services.

According to the UN, the humanitarian crisis in Somalia has escalated due to recurring climate shocks, protracted conflict, the impact of COVID-19 and other deadly diseases, and the worst desert locust infestation in years.

This, the UN said, has compounded vulnerabilities and protection challenges in a context where decades of conflict have displaced close to three million people and nearly 5.9 million people require humanitarian assistance.

The risk of a large outbreak of COVID-19 in conflict-stricken areas, where access to the population is challenging and social service provision is limited, persists and could add immeasurably to the suffering of the most vulnerable people in Somalia, the UN said.

According to UNICEF, the United States Agency for International Development provided the new funding. Enditem