Johannesburg, 3 September -- Man-made disasters and natural hazards such as armed conflicts, floods, drought, famine, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions cost Africa $15 billion in 2002. 
This is contained in a discussion paper prepared by the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Africa for review at a roundtable of African health and development experts and officials scheduled for Thursday in South Africa. The roundtable is being held on the sidelines of the 53rd session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa taking place from 1 to 5 September in Johannesburg.

"The recurring humanitarian crises within the African Region erodes decades of development achievement, further entrenching poverty and inequality", the paper says, illustrating the point with the recent earthquake in Algeria which clamed 2,300 lives, left 15,000 people injured, and caused financial losses estimated at $5 billon.

Another "striking" illustration of the consequences of disasters in the Region is the floods which ravaged Mozambique in 2000, causing losses of more than $427 million.

Recent and ongoing emergencies in the Region have caused millions of deaths and incalculable human suffering in the Region, the discussion paper says. Among them: the 1994 conflict in Rwanda which caused one million deaths; the civil strife in Burundi which has clamed more than 300,000 lives; the emergency in Liberia which has resulted in more than 500,000 deaths, and millions of people displaced; the conflicts in Guinea and Cote d'Ivoire which have displaced two million ; the emergencies in the Democratic Republic of Congo which have claimed three million deaths and displaced four million people.

In all cases, according to the discussion paper, women and children account for a disproportionate 80% of the populations affected by disasters which result in considerably high maternal and infant morbidity and mortality.

Discussion points at the roundtable are expected to centre on the role of governments and WHO in mitigating the health impact of the consequences of natural hazards and man-made disasters, and the strengthening of national capacities to manage emergencies.

For further information, please contact

Samuel T. Ajibola
Public Information and Communication Unit 
World Health Organization - Regional Office for Africa 
P.O. Box 6, Brazzaville, Congo. 
E-mail: ajibolas [at] afro.who.int
 Tel:+ 47 241 39378; Fax: + 47 241 39513
In Johannesburg: 072 722 5680