“When I heard that the rains were returning, I wasn’t as scared, because I had Panchito and my mom by my side.” – Yaira, 11, PERU
LIMA, 18th Jan – Children in Peru on the sharp finish of the local weather disaster have been given a huggable backpack formed like a puppy, designed to consolation the wearer in instances of stress and containing a healthcare package as circumstances of dengue fever surge on account of local weather change.
The backpack, developed by Save the Children and named Panchito that means ‘little Pancho’, a well-liked boy’s identify, has arms that may encircle the wearer and paws that may take part a hug. It comprises objects that may assist cease the unfold of dengue together with cleaning soap, a hand towel, toothbrush and toothpaste, and child-friendly details about dengue fever.
Last yr, Peru confronted its worst epidemic of dengue in over a decade, with not less than 50 children killed and another 80,300 children contaminated by the illness. The outbreak, which led Peru to declare a state of emergency in most of its provinces, was pushed by local weather change and the El Niño phenomenon, which introduced torrential rains, floods and a rise in temperature.
Peru’s wet season normally begins in December and finishes in March. The north of the nation is already experiencing heavy rainfall, with fears that the rain will intensify and switch into
devastating floods as soon as once more.
Yaira*, 11, lives in Lambayeque, northern Peru. Last yr the realm skilled extreme flooding which broken Yaira’s home and faculty. Yaira is the youngest of 6, and lives with 4 of her siblings, her mom, father and grandmother, she mentioned:
“When the rains came I felt a bit scared because the water was coming into our houses.”
Last June Yaira acquired a huggable backpack, she mentioned:
“Panchito is a backpack with arms that button with a hook and loop tape, so the backpack hugs you. When Panchito hugs me, I feel comfortable.”
“When I heard that the rains were returning, I wasn’t as scared, because I had Panchito and my mom by my side.”
Extreme climate occasions reminiscent of floods can result in outbreaks of mosquito-borne illnesses together with dengue, as mosquitoes thrive in heat moist circumstances. Last yr Peru confronted an unprecedented outbreak of dengue, with over 270,000 circumstances, together with over 80,000 incidences in youngsters. The general variety of circumstances is considerably larger than the earlier peak of 74,000 in 2017, and almost ten instances larger than the annual common of 28,000 circumstances, in line with Peru’s Ministry of Health.
Children are significantly vulnerable to dengue as their immune methods are weaker. Common signs embrace fever, rash, nausea and aches and pains. The Panchito backpack comprises a lot wanted details about dengue, which might be life-threatening for youngsters.
Yaira mentioned:
“When the rains stopped, I thought everything was over, but then dengue fever struck.
“Almost all of my classmates were sick with dengue. Yes, I got dengue too. I was at school, and I got a headache and fever too.
“There was a child here that lost his life to dengue. He was seven or eight years old. That scared me. When I heard about a boy passing away, I got really scared.”
The venture additionally supplies coaching on dengue prevention, secure water factors, and fumigation of mosquitoes. Yaira mentioned:
“When the dengue fever returns, I know how to take care because Save the Children taught me how.”
Parents and caregivers have acquired coaching on supporting youngsters’s psychological well being and wellbeing in relation to the local weather disaster.
William Campbell, Country Director for Save the Children in Peru, mentioned:
“The climate crisis can have a terrible impact on children’s mental health, as they worry about the world they will inherit. In Peru children witness the terrible impact of the climate crisis first-hand as their homes and schools flood and cases of dengue fever increase. The Panchito backpack provide children with much needed comfort and information at what can be a very distressing time.”
Save the Children has supplied over 600 youngsters with huggable backpacks and details about dengue. The initiative is a component of a bigger water and sanitation venture which supported almost 9,000 individuals affected by floods. Save the Children has labored in Peru since 1980 in catastrophe threat discount, humanitarian response, training, safety and well being. Between 2022 and 2023 we reached over 280,000 individuals together with almost 100,000 youngsters and adolescents.
ENDS
Notes to editors
* Name modified to guard anonymity
We have multimedia content material to accompany the discharge: https://www.contenthubsavethechildren.org/Package/2O4C2S3JK5NZ
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