New funding from the UK's Department of International Development
(DFID) and the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) will allow
IOM's emergency response to Cyclone Nargis, which struck the
Irrawaddy Delta in May, to continue through January 2009.

The new pledges of $932,000 from DFID and $650,000 from CERF for
shelter and non food relief items will underpin IOM's operations in
the Delta, where it has helped cyclone survivors with medical aid,
the delivery of emergency relief goods and reconstruction over the
past three months.

IOM's cyclone response effort now comprises over 100 staff
working from three sub-offices in the Delta townships of Bogale,
Pyapon and Mawlamyinegyun. Another 200 IOM staff continue to work
on pre-cyclone programming in Mon State and Yangon.

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"/jahia/webdav/shared/shared/mainsite/activities/countries/docs/donor_news_august.pdf"
target="_blank" title=""> "background-color: rgb(153, 204, 255);">IOM Cyclone Nargis Update -
Aug. 2008

IOM mobile medical teams continue to deliver medical aid and
distribute medical supplies to cyclone victims and affected
communities in remote areas, often only accessible by boat. As of
early August, the teams had treated some 31,000 patients in over
400 villages.

Five temporary, tented health clinics set up by IOM in remote
areas where medical facilities were destroyed by the cyclone are
also expected to be fully operational by the end of August.

IOM has also distributed non-food relief items, including
shelter kits, mosquito nets, jerry cans, water purifiers,
waterproofs and blankets to more than 30,000 cyclone-affected
households. IOM's warehouses in Bogale, Pyapon and Mawlamyinegyun
are now also open to partner agencies to support their ongoing
distribution of non-food and shelter items to cyclone
survivors.

As the emergency response phase moves towards reconstruction IOM
has now also launched a $3 million shelter reconstruction project
funded by the Government of Japan focusing on urban and semi-urban
areas.

The project will provide roofing, construction materials, tools,
technical support and advice on how to build back better to some
6,000 highly vulnerable households in affected Delta townships over
the next five months.

This project is being implemented in close cooperation with the
Myanmar Ministry of Social Welfare, Relocation & Resettlement,
the Ministry of Construction, township local authorities and
affected communities, who will help IOM to select vulnerable
households most in need, according to IOM emergency Coordinator
Federico Soda.

"We are also working with the Japanese NGO Humanitarian Medical
Assistance (HUMA) and township medical authorities to rehabilitate
seriously damaged health centres in the worst affected areas," he
adds.

IOM's Cyclone Nargis response budget now stands at $7.5 million.
Donors include the UN CERF, Japan, UK (DFID), USA (USAID / OFDA),
Switzerland (SDC), Denmark, AmeriCares Foundation, International
Medical Corps (IMC), Humanitarian Medical Assistance (HUMA) and
Chevron Corporation.

Under the Revised UN Flash Appeal, IOM is still seeking some $9
million for projects designed to rebuild destroyed bamboo housing,
repair primary health care and maternity centres, improve health
care delivery and mental health services, combat HIV and evaluate
severely damaged communities in the worst affected Delta
townships. 

For more information please contact:

Chris Lom

IOM's regional office in Bangkok

Tel:  +66.819275215

E-mail: "mailto:clom@iom.in">clom@iom.in