EU humanitarian aid to North Korea

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The European Commission has adopted a €9.1 million humanitarian aid plan to boost healthcare for up to ten million people in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). The funding, to be allocated by the Commission's Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO) under the supervision of Commissioner Poul Nielson, will provide much-needed equipment and medicines, and help rehabilitate health centres, hospitals and specialist facilities. The programmes will be implemented by international agencies operating in the country and monitored by ECHO's support office in Pyongyang. Since 2001, ECHO has provided more than €38 million for humanitarian programmes in North Korea.

The health system in DPRK is an extremely poor state. Severe shortages of medical supplies and functioning equipment together with a serious lack of training in modern medical methods, have resulted in significant unmet humanitarian needs. Hospitals and clinics constructed 40-50 years ago have barely been maintained. Most health facilities have little or no running water while electricity is generally available only for a few hours each day. This makes it difficult to sterilise instruments, ensure lighting for operations and provide heating for hospitals during the country's harsh winters.

Major health challenges include a high number of cases of tuberculosis (the WHO reported 47,000 in 2003) and widespread incidence of digestive and acute respiratory diseases. Although acute malnutrition levels have declined, the level remains unacceptably high at around 9%. The lives of an estimated 70,000 children are threatened by severe malnourishment, a figure which is as high as in 1998.

Up to eight million people in the provinces of South Hamgyong, North Pyongan, South Pyongan, Chagang, and Kaesong will benefit from the provision of medical supplies. Specific actions envisaged include support for the Hamhung Orthopedic Hospital and the Blood Transfusion Service, the supply of vital intravenous fluids, and measures to improve the health of elderly people living in residential homes.

ECHO will also continue to address the needs of children through the rehabilitation of maternity facilities, the supply of therapeutic food (to treat severe malnutrition), the provision of Vitamin A supplements and deworming programmes. Around two million children will benefit from these actions.

The funding for this decision comes from ECHO's budgeted humanitarian assistance for North Korea in 2004. In addition, the Commission has provided emergency support for the victims of the recent devastating train explosion in Ryonchon. At the end of April, €200,000 was allocated under the fast-track "primary emergency" procedure to help meet immediate relief needs and ECHO is currently examining the possibility of further follow-up assistance.

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• Commission approves €4.5 million in humanitarian aid for North Korea and Myanmar (9/6/2005)