UN launches $234 million aid appeal for struggling Zimbabwe
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The United Nations has launched a $234 million appeal for humanitarian assistance for Zimbabwe as the country battles its worst economic crisis in a decade.
U.N. humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock on Thursday said over 5 million people, close to a third of the population, are food insecure. This appeal will cover just over 2 million people who are the most vulnerable.
He says some people with HIV are unable to take the drugs they need because "they can't take it on an empty stomach."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}This once prosperous southern African country struggles with drought, massive unemployment, shortages of basic items and a currency crisis. The U.N. says climate change has worsened the situation.
Zimbabwe is still shaken by a recent government crackdown on protests over a sharp increase in gas prices.