MANY of your readers will be aware of the growing humanitarian crisis in Kosovo, following an escalation in the conflict there.

An estimated 210,000 people have become displaced in the region, and growing numbers of civilians have been left without shelter, heating and food.

Amongst the hardest hit are children.

UNICEF, the United Nations Children's fund, is aware of an alarming increase in cases of bronchitis and pneumonia amongst children of all ages.

Weakened by cold and hunger, thousands of children are at great risk.

Normal health care systems have collapsed, leaving these children with no-one to turn to except agencies like UNICEF.

Even while the political tensions increase, UNICEF will not abandon the children of Kosovo.

We must act now to meet the immediate emergency.

We are distributing drug kits for children, including antibiotics and oral rehydration salts as well as other essential medicines.

Our medical teams remain in the conflict zone, reaching as many vulnerable children as possible.

And when the fighting stops, our work in rebuilding services for children will continue.

Your readers' support today could make all the difference.

A course of oral rehydration salts to treat 100 children suffering diarrhoeal diseases, for example, costs just £35.

I believe that's a small price to pay to save lives.

Donations can be sent to UNICEF, Room KSV, 53, Lyme Road, Hazel Grove, Stockport, Cheshire SK7 6LH.

Kim Bohajczuk, UNICEF, North West Regional Officer.

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.