SOUTH SUDAN SITUATION REPORT 31 August 2018
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UNICEF SOUTH SUDAN SITUATION REPORT 31 August 2018 South Sudan Humanitarian Situation Report 01 – 31 AUGUST 2018: SOUTH SUDAN SITREP #124 SITUATION IN NUMBERS Highlights 1.91 million • Since the signing of the peace agreement between the government and the Internally displaced persons (IDPs) opposition groups on 5 August in Khartoum, incidents of armed conflict have (OCHA South Sudan Humanitarian Snapshot, reduced significantly. However, the Ceasefire and Transitional Security 7 September 2018) Arrangements Monitoring Mechanism (CTSAMM) has accused government and SPLA-iO pro-Machar forces of violating the Permanent Ceasefire, following 2.47 million reported clashes in Unity and Bringi on 19 and 21 August, respectively. South Sudanese refugees in • Despite ongoing conflict in areas of Greater Upper Nile, Greater Equatoria and neighbouring countries (OCHA South Sudan Humanitarian Snapshot, Western Bahr el Ghazal, UNICEF was able to reopen and resume services at 10 7 September 2018) outpatient therapeutic programme (OTP) sites, including in Koch (4), Leer (2), Mayendit (2) and Rubkona (2). • World Breastfeeding Week was celebrated on 1-7 August, under the theme 7.1 million South Sudanese who are severely “Breastfeeding, Foundation of Life.” C4D implementing partners across the food insecure country supported the commemoration with activities such as radio messaging, (May-July 2018 Projection, Integrated Food public address systems and traditional dances to raise awareness on the Security Phase Classification) importance of breastfeeding and improved health of new-born babies. UNICEF’s Response with Partners in 2018 Funding Status Cluster for 2018 UNICEF and partners for 2018 Target Indicators Cumulative Cumulative Target Target achieved results (#) results (#) (%) Carry-over from Nutrition: # of children 2017: aged 6 to 59 months with Funding Gap: Severe Acute Malnutrition 209,140 125,906 215,312 126,972 59.0% US$ 64,843,099 (SAM) admitted for US$ 73,850,273 treatment Health: # of children aged 6 months to 15 years in conflict-affected areas 1,514,734 663,169 43.8% vaccinated against measles WASH: # of people provided with access to 2018 Funding safe water as per agreed 2,200,000 859,523 800,000 429,175 53.6% Requirement: standards (7.5–15 litres per person per day) US$ 183.3M Child Protection: # of children reached with 271,000 194,479 250,000 156,251 62.5% psychosocial support (PSS) Education: # of children and adolescents aged 3 to 584,660 471,451 500,000 94.3% 18 years provided with 674,619 219,890 187,759 Funds Received: access to education in (girls) (girls) emergencies US$ 44,616,498 1 UNICEF SOUTH SUDAN SITUATION REPORT 31 August 2018 Situation Overview and Humanitarian Needs Since the signing of the peace agreement between the government and the opposition groups on 5 August in Khartoum, incidents of armed conflict have significantly reduced. However, CTSAMM has accused the government and SPLA-iO pro-Machar forces of committing major violations of the Permanent Ceasefire, following reported clashes in Northern Liech state (Unity) and Bringi area, 15 kilometres southwest of Wau town (Western Bahr el Ghazal) on 19 and 21 August, respectively. Humanitarian aid workers continue to be targets for looting and violence across the country, with incidents reported in Central Equatoria, Jonglei and Eastern Equatoria in August 2018. According to the August 2018 Aid Worker Security Report, violence against aid workers in South Sudan continues to escalate in 2018, with record numbers of aid workers killed by gunfire in addition to a rise in aid worker kidnappings. As these incidents often occur in areas of insecurity/relative inaccessibility, the resulting halt of humanitarian activity that follows denies life-saving services to the communities who are often in greatest need. According to the 7 August Food Security Situation Update published by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP) and UNICEF, persistent conflict, disruption of livelihoods, poor economic conditions and challenges faced in the delivery of humanitarian assistance have pushed nearly 60 per cent of the population into severe acute food insecurity during the peak of the lean season (June-July). Though the nutrition situation in South Sudan has historically improved following the conclusion of the lean period, due to harvest yields, increased livestock activity and access to milk and additional animal products, ongoing conflict is expected to disrupt these activities and impede access to harvest, particularly in areas in Greater Upper Nile, Greater Equatoria (GE) and Western Bahr el Ghazal (WBeG). Humanitarian Strategy In 2018, in line with UNICEF’s Humanitarian Action for Children (HAC) and the inter-agency Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP), UNICEF will strengthen and expand its programmes through four modalities that will increase the capacity and reach of interventions: (1) static operations in stable areas; (2) outreach programmes; (3) mobile campaigns; and (4) integrated rapid response mechanism (IRRM) missions. These four modalities will facilitate sustained service delivery in both secure and highly inaccessible locations. UNICEF will continue to invest in strengthening national partner capacities and improving accountability to affected populations by building on existing community-based networks. This approach includes 180 Days Scale-Up Plans (1 March to 31 August 2018), targeting 11 priority counties considering the expected significant deterioration of the food security and nutrition situation during the lean season. UNICEF aims to conduct five IRRM missions per month as the situation permits. So far in 2018, 37 joint IRRM missions with WFP were conducted in 15 counties: Ayod, Canal/Pigi, Fangak, Koch, Leer, Longochuk, Luakpiny/Nasir, Mayendit, Nyirol, Panyijiar, Raga, Rubkona, Torit, Uror and Wau. These missions reached 431,214 people, including 88,298 children under 5 years of age. In August, six RRM missions accessed hard-to-reach locations in Keew, Jaibor and Kuernyang (Fangak County), Bieh, Koch town (Koch County), and Iholong (Torit County) reaching 70,204 people, including 12,733 children under 5 years of age. Since April, the UNICEF-WFP IRRM partnership has expanded to include FAO, enabling beneficiaries to receive additional critical services, including livelihood kits containing fishing nets and agricultural inputs. FAO has participated in seven joint IRRM missions to date. UNICEF is advocating at the national and local levels for increased and sustained humanitarian access. UNICEF is also facilitating coherent coordination through UNICEF leadership of the WASH, Education and Nutrition clusters, as well as the Child Protection sub-cluster. Summary Analysis of Programme Response Health: UNICEF and partners provided 199,470 primary health care consultations (95,636 children under 5; 104,894 female) via fixed health facilities, community-based interventions and the IRRM. 2 UNICEF SOUTH SUDAN SITUATION REPORT 31 August 2018 Malaria continues to be a leading cause of morbidity, accounting for about 33 per cent of the total, followed by acute respiratory infections (21 per cent) and diarrhoea (14 per cent). Reports have indicated a malaria upsurge in some areas including Aweil Centre, Aweil South, Cueibet, Jur River, Terekeka, Tonj and Wau, as well as Bentiu, with numbers significantly higher than reported in previous years. As part of malaria prevention activities, with UNICEF support, an Indoor Residual Spray campaign was conducted in Malakal Protection of Civilian (PoC) site by The Mentor Initiative, reaching 5,234 households. A rapid survey will be conducted as part of the activity to ascertain bed net ownership and usage to inform future distribution of long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) in the PoC. A cumulative 121,838 LLINs have been provided nation-wide, since January 2018. Due to the increase in malaria cases, coupled with limited health service delivery points as a result of closure of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) clinic in the PoC, Health Cluster partners are working to open malaria points in Bentiu PoC and UNICEF is supporting with supplies through the State Ministry of Health. UNICEF continues to support partners in providing maternal and newborn health services, reaching 7,505 pregnant women with initial antenatal care services while 1,999 deliveries were conducted at health facilities of which 1,272 were assisted by skilled birth attendants. Counseling and testing of HIV amongst pregnant women continued in August and 2,104 women were counseled and tested for HIV; 24 tested positive and 20 re-enrolled in anti-retroviral therapy. To contribute towards the strengthening immunization services, UNICEF has installed 103 refrigerators across the country since January 2018. A total of 367 suspected measles cases have been reported in South Sudan in 2018 with one recorded fatality (case fatality rate - CFR - of 0.3 per cent). In response, 663,169 children 6-15 years of age have been vaccinated against measles in 2018 through a combination of response vaccinations, routine immunizations, RRM and measles follow-up campaigns. In contribution to the strategy for Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus Elimination in the country, 27,858 women of reproductive age in Ayod County, Jonglei state were vaccinated in August 2018 through supplemental immunization activities. Regarding the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak in North Kivu, in the Democratic Republic Congo (DRC), a national EVD contingency