UN calls for urgent help for 3.4 mn Sri Lankans

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Colombo: The United Nations team in Sri Lanka and non-governmental organisations on Tuesday revised and extended their joint Humanitarian Needs and Priorities (HNP) plan, which aims to provide life-saving assistance to 3.4 million people amid Sri Lanka’s worst economic crisis since independence.

During the ongoing crisis since June, the HNP plan has been responding to the Sri Lankan government’s request for UN-backed multi-sector support for the island nation’s debt and food and medicine shortages.

Governments and donor agencies have helped the humanitarian community reach over 1 million of the country’s most vulnerable people with cash, food, school meals and medicine support etc., according to a release.

The HNP’s revision extends the plan through 2022 and requires $70 million in additional funds to reach a total of $149.7 million, the release added.