met the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, the THIS ISSUE HIGHLIGHTS: African Union’s Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture, Rosebud Kurwijila, and the Director-General of • SPECIAL ENVOY’S VISIT TO the Disaster Preparedness and Prevention Agency, Simon • REGIONAL OVERVIEW Mechale, discussing with the latter the positive donor • MALARIA UPDATE response to Ethiopia’s Humanitarian Appeal. • POLIO CAMPAIGN • UPCOMING & ONGOING MEETINGS During his visit, Mr Bondevik was made an elder of the Kereyu Gada clan at a special gathering of pastoralist Focus on Ethiopia is produced by UN Office for the leaders in Fentale zone, Oromiya Region. The traditional Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), in meeting on animal skins under acacia trees brought collaboration with other UN agencies and partner NGOs. together for the first time pastoralist elders from four of Focus on Ethiopia provides a monthly overview of Ethiopia’s pastoral groups, the Special Envoy, Ethiopia’s humanitarian trends and activities in Ethiopia, as well as UN Resident Coordinator, heads of the UN Country Team, focusing on particular issues of interest. Send comments, and government representatives. The elders shared with suggestions and contributions to [email protected] the visiting delegation the challenges confronting their way of life such as recurrent drought, lack of recognition and appreciation, conflict and restrained trading opportunities. SPECIAL HUMANITARIAN ENVOY SAYS ETHIOPIA “Pastoralism needs to be recognised as a way of life that is HAS LESSONS TO SHARE WITH ITS NEIGHBOURS viable and contributes to the economy. Our livestock is our way of life but we need access to an organised market so The United Nations Special Humanitarian Envoy, Kjell we can be sustainable,” said Borena elder, Nura Dida. “We Magne Bondevik, visited Ethiopia on 28 – 30 April, as part hope that this meeting will become a milestone in of a five-nation mission over eight days to the drought- pastoralist development”. affected countries of the Horn of Africa. Mr Bondevik, who was appointed in February for one year by the UN With Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, Mr Bondevik discussed Secretary General, is advocating for better humanitarian ways to strengthen emergency management capacities and assistance and longer-term development opportunities humanitarian relief, so that they support longer-term under the overall mandate of helping ensure effective solutions to food and livelihood insecurity. “Ethiopia is humanitarian action in the Horn of Africa. While in known for its disaster response systems and in many ways Ethiopia, the Special Humanitarian Envoy and his party is moving more quickly than some of it neighbours to

A monthly focus on humanitarian trends and activities in Ethiopia, produced by UN OCHA in collaboration with other UN agencies & NGOs

address food security issues. Given the regional nature of Hararghe Catholic Service, was not able to reach the this crisis in the Horn of Africa it is important to look at affected area due to the floods. The team (based on the what lessons and expertise it can pass on,” noted Mr. information from the woreda officials) recommends urgent Bondevik. In later discussions with the Deputy Prime food and non-food interventions. Project Concern Minister Addisu Legesse, the Emergency Food Security International allocated funds for the purchase of plastic Reserve and the Productive Safety Net Programme were sheeting. Meanwhile, a request to pre-position food in highlighted as two good examples of innovative systems Gode has been submitted to DPPA and non-food items from which several of Ethiopia’s neighbours might draw should also be pre-positioned. Trucks delivering food via lessons that could be applied in their countries. In the Babile to Fik, Gerbo, East Imi and Segag have experienced meeting with the DPM, other issues raised were the difficulties approximately 80 kms south of Babile due to Government’s current attention to organising legal markets heavy rains. As the rains recede, it is hoped that truck and developing other programmes to support pastoralists movement will resume at normal pace. and the question of how to address predictable and recurrent non-food needs among the most vulnerable Even though the rains improved the availability of water populations other than through emergency funding and pasture for livestock, the physical condition of the mechanisms. Mr Bondevik is expected to return to livestock has not still improved. The rains have increased Ethiopia later in the year. incidences of animal diseases due to increased breeding of insects and intensive animal movements. It also resulted in REGIONAL OVERVIEW deaths of weak animals. An alarming livestock disease outbreak (locally known as Cagaarshow- disease of the SOMALI liver) has killed up to 3,000 cattle in Liben zone. Three of the four woredas in the zone are affected by the outbreak, The onset of the gu rains was mixed in Somali Region. which is affecting cattle and shoats. No action is taken so The rains started one week earlier than the normal onset far from the Government and other partners. An unknown in the southern zones of Afder, Liben and parts of Gode camel disease, which is believed to have originated from but were late in the remaining areas of the region. The Afar Region has affected Shinile and Jijiga zones and is performance of the rains varies from good to poor. The expanding to Fik and Degehabur zones. The disease kills rainfall during the first dekad of April was generally good camels instantly and is contagious. Partners are and the second dekad was dry. Fortunately, the rains encouraged to provide antibiotic treatment, particularly oxy- resumed in the third dekad and several woredas reported tetracycline as vaccinations are not effective. In addition, light to heavy rainfall. Recent reports from Gode indicate reports from Yemen indicate that foot and mouth disease that the rains in Mustahil, Ferfer, Kelafo and Adadle has been detected in some animals that originated from woredas have been moderate, while that of Denan have Ethiopia and/or Somaliland. This has significantly reduced been poor to moderate. The rainfalls in Afder and Liben livestock exports via Berbera. Meanwhile, the regional zones have also been good except few areas in Dolo Odo, agricultural bureau, FAO, ICRC, IRC, ACF, Save the Chereti and Hargele. In Korahe zone, Shekosh woreda Children USA and Save the Children UK are actively had moderate rainfall, but the remaining woredas of the involved in livestock interventions such as vaccination and zone received no rainfall in April. East Imi in Gode zone treatment. ACDI/VOCA has also extended the repayment was among the woredas that have not received rain in the period of the loans for traders (unions and primary month. The performance of the gu rains have so far been cooperatives) to the end of September to provide the below normal in Warder, Degehabur and Fik zones. On pastoralists more time to utilise the money for livestock off- the other hand, Jijiga and Shinille zones have continued to take. receive good rains in April although both experienced a two-week dry spell. The migration of people (including cross border from

Somalia) to areas that received good rains has posed a The rains have improved water availability and serious health threat in the region as measles cases was regeneration of pasture, but have also increased livestock confirmed among families that had recently migrated to mortality, hygiene concerns and created access problems. Bare woreda who had missed the recent vaccination There were increased fears of floods in Kelafo, Ferfer and campaigns. The emergency measles campaign, which Mustahil woredas, following the steady increase of the targeted more than half a million children from 6 to 59 level of Wabi Shebelle river towards the end of the month, months of age, is completed in all 30 targeted woredas, but since the first week of May, the water level is except in two where implementation is underway following subsiding. There has been flooding in parts of Dolobay delays due to heavy rainfall. Results are currently being and Dolo Odo woredas. Part of Dolo Odo was encircled by compiled. The remaining woredas are expected to be floods from a nearby overflowing river and some of the covered in June/July. Reports of common diseases such as residents were temporarily relocated. In mid April, floods malaria, diarrhoea, urinary tract infections, and respiratory also reportedly displaced up to 3,000 people in Lasarat diseases have increased. Unconfirmed diarrhoea outbreaks village, Ayisha woreda in Shinille zone. According to the are reported from Togwachale town (Jijiga zone) and woreda officials, the floods have reportedly destroyed Hargele woreda (Afder zone). A team from the Regional more than 190 houses and killed up to 500 animals. It is Health Bureau (RHB) and mobile heath and nutrition teams also reported that 293 quintal of wheat and 31 quintals of are investigating the situation in Togwachale and Hargelle CSB that water damaged were immediately distributed to respectively. The emergency nutritional situation is the affected people. A team, comprising DPPB and

A monthly focus on humanitarian trends and activities in Ethiopia, produced by UN OCHA in collaboration with other UN agencies & NGOs

expected to continue due to the fact that the pastoralists on water disinfection methods, hand-washing, and have lost their flocks and those that survived are too weak sanitation, for over 120 health workers and school to recover and provide enough milk to the family. MSF- teachers. UNICEF sent four teams to rehabilitate 23 water Belgium is providing CTC in selected areas in Bare and schemes in Gode, Afder, and Liben zones, 12 of which Chereti woredas. In addition to the available Therapeutic have been maintained so far, benefiting more than 36,000 Feeding Centers, run by the RHB; Goal, through OWDA people. and MCDO and Islamic Relief are in the processes of opening CTC programs in Denan, Fafen, Kebribeyah, The Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Agency Hargele and Elkere woredas. EOS/TSF screening has (DPPA) is continuing its daily dispatches of relief food to been carried out in 21 woredas in the region, which the drought affected areas. From the 23,500 tonnes of relief identified a total number of 59,575 beneficiaries and food food allocated for the region in February, 85 percent has distribution is ongoing. To date 1,082 tonnes of blended been dispatched to date. DPPA has also started moving food and oil provided by WFP have moved to Adadle, some quantities of food allocated during March. There has Denan, Gursum, Harshin, Degehabur, Gashamo, Aware not been a change in the beneficiary number as the and Gunagado, Danot, Warder, Boh, Shilabo and 38,528 reassessment mission findings have not yet been officially beneficiaries have received their rations. released. A DPPA led reassessment of the most affected zones of the region was carried out from late March to early April. To speed up the transportation of relief food several measures have been taken by the DPPA, including giving priority for transporters to the region, regular radio broadcasts informing beneficiaries of up coming food allocations and deploying military escorts. WFP field observers also confirm an increase in transportation, distributions and food availability at the household level.

The IDPs in Hartishek and Fafen remain one of the most vulnerable groups in the region and yet nothing is being done to alleviate their suffering. While there are other IDPs in the region, the situation is particularly difficult for those in the camps as they are not in good terms with the host communities and they are not receiving a monthly food allocation. Meanwhile, IOM is planning to move the remaining 1,000 IDPs from the first caseload to Degehabur zone in May. This will complete the first caseload of the UNCT repatriation exercise, which aimed to move 6,000 IDPs from the two camps to their areas of origin.

OROMIYA The humanitarian situation in Borena zone is improving with the good performance of the ganna rains. All woredas in Borena zone have been receiving good rains since the last dekad of March. However, there was a seven to ten days of dry spell in the first half of April, after which the Shortage of health professionals and drugs persist in the rains resumed on 19 April. The rains have improved region. Eleven mobile health teams continue to provide pasture (especially browse) and water availability in the medical care and nutritional support. Eighteen health zone; however, the overall humanitarian situation and workers, who are trained on basic emergency health and responses require monitoring. Water tankering operations nutrition, will soon be deployed to provide support for the are suspended in the zone and attention is shifting to water remaining five teams. Even though some drugs had been purification and general hygiene and sanitation activities. sent to the woredas by the RHB, UNICEF and some Efforts continue in maintenance and rehabilitation of water NGOs, including ICRC and CCM, due to logistical schemes as longer term solutions, and the procurement of problems, the woreda officials are often unable to spares and equipment. Meanwhile, nearly all zones in the distribute the drugs received to the health posts and clinics region had favorable rainfall in the first week of the April. In at the kebele level. the second week of April, West Hararghe, lowlands of Arsi and nearly all the western zones of the region received no Due to the recent rains, water tankering has been scaled rains, while East Hararghe and West Shewa had poorly down in the region and attention is shifting to water distributed rains. Heavy rains in the last week of April purification and general hygiene and sanitation activities. caused some floods in Deder and Kurfa Chele woredas of Efforts continue in maintenance and rehabilitation of water East Hararghe, some woredas of West Hararghe and schemes as long-term solutions. The RHB and UNICEF Borena zone. The floods in Miyo woreda of Borena zone jointly organised an emergency hygiene and sanitation have killed 80 animals and damaged a school. Several training in Gode and Dolo Odo at the end of April, focusing water points also have been damaged in Miyo, Moyale and

A monthly focus on humanitarian trends and activities in Ethiopia, produced by UN OCHA in collaboration with other UN agencies & NGOs

Dire woredas. Meanwhile, North Shewa, Jimma, Bale and Hararghe, West Hararghe and parts of Borena (Moyale and most of Arsi received good precipitation during this period. Dire). Consequently, DPPB recently requested ENCU/ DPPA to conduct nutritional surveys in seven woredas of Agricultural activities, including farmland preparation and East Hararghe, including Fedis, Kersa, Golo Oda, Goro the plantation of long cycle crops is good in most crop Gutu, Babile, Haromaya and Gursum and Boset woreda in growing areas of East Hararghe, West Hararghe and East Shewa. However, instead of nutritional surveys, it was Borena (Teltele and Yabello). The heavy rains, however, recently reported that a multi-agency assessment mission hampered agricultural activities in the first two weeks of (12 May) will look into the situation. Meanwhile, GOAL is April. Woreda agricultural experts rated the vegetative providing CSB in Fedis woreda and plans to conduct a performance of most crops as good and normal for the nutritional survey in May to monitor the success. Similarly, season. In the third week of April, FAO provided six tonnes the situation in Grawa woreda (East Hararghe) requires of crop seeds to agro-pastoralists in Borena zone. monitoring and immediate action by the Government and However, the intervention is considered late since the NGOs. There are 166 new admissions in Grawa (in the seed arrived when the planting period was almost over. seven OTP in sites) in April, which is higher by 44 percent Army worm infestations are being reported from Borena compared to March’s admission. The woreda authorities and Bale zones of the region. Even though pesticides are report that only about 35 percent of the estimated available, control measures in Borena are reportedly being emergency needy population (40,000) is accepted by the constrained by shortages of operational costs and Government, which could exacerbate the already weak logistical difficulties. food security condition of the population. In addition, the relief distribution did not commence in the woreda up to the Incidences of livestock diseases are increasing in Borena end of the reporting month. Meanwhile, the admission rate zone, while the zone reports a gap of veterinary drugs for in the 11 OTP sites in Dire Dawa is 84 percent greater than the 80 percent of livestock in the zone that are not being March’s, which is considered as unusually high and covered by the current vaccination campaign supported by alarming. GOAL recently conducted nutritional surveys in FAO. Animal feed intervention has already been scaled Fentale (East Shewa) and Kombolcha (East Hararghe) down by different partners, as the rains have improved the woredas and reported serious malnutrition of 12.2 percent availability of pasture and water. Commercial de-stocking GAM and 1.5 percent with 0.86/10000/day U5MR and poor is conducted at lower scale. In Misra Chifra of Dobba malnutrition of 6.2 percent GAM and a 0.3 percent SAM woreda in West Hararghe, 30 camels and seven cattle with 0.49/10,000/day U5MR respectively. The nutrition died due to Anthrax. The woreda has provided vaccination levels are worsened due to the presence of aggravating for more than 2,000 animals to prevent further infection in factors such as poor measles and BCG vaccination the affected villages. coverage, poor Vitamin A supplementation and poor food security status of the community in the woredas. Sixteen There are no reports of unusual human disease outbreaks woredas in East Hararghe (all except Kurfa Chele) and in the region. However, some cases of malaria and three woredas in East Shewa (Adami Tulu Jido Kombolcha, diarrhoea have been reported in some kebeles of Dire, Shashemene, Siraro) have received a total of 678 tonnes of Miyo and Moyale woredas in Borena zone. Further health TSF and distribution is ongoing. risks are anticipated due to carcasses that could contaminate surface water. UNICEF, in collaboration with Meanwhile, the measles campaign in Borena, Guji and the zone’s water development and health offices have Bale zones has been completed, targeting about 742,436 dispatched about 700,000 sachets of water purification children from 6 to 59 months. Preliminary results of the chemical with the cooperation of NGOs operating in the campaign revealed an administrative coverage of above 95 respective woredas to hasten the distribution of the items percent. RHB/UNICEF’s seven mobile emergency health to the beneficiaries. In addition, UNICEF has facilitated the and nutrition teams are screening children for malnutrition organisation of seven mobile health teams at zone level; and providing treatment when needed. The teams are also however, shortage of health staff prevails. re-opening closed health posts to treat the majority of the severely malnourished, thus building local capacity to better manage the care of acutely malnourished children. To address critical shortage of staff in health facilities in Borena, the RHB¸ with support from WHO, will deploy staff from other zones for three months, who will then be substituted by other staff.

In Borena zone, DPPA is continuing its daily dispatches and, to date, 92 percent of the February allocation (2,500 tonnes) and 95 percent of the March allocation (2,500 tonnes) have been dispatched. DPPA is also processing the allocation for the month of April. The transportation of food aid has been satisfactory in the first months of 2006

and a significant improvement in dispatches has been Even though the food security situation improved in the observed in April. Food arrivals and distributions are region, food insecurity indicators prevail, such as low food confirmed by WFP monitoring. In addition to the relief intake and stress signs in the extreme lowlands of East

A monthly focus on humanitarian trends and activities in Ethiopia, produced by UN OCHA in collaboration with other UN agencies & NGOs

programme, 114,559 people are benefiting from the appear to be sustainable (especially pasture) due to the Productive Safety Net Programme (PNSP). In the first inadequate duration of the rains. In addition, the problem of distributions in 2006, the food basket contained only potable water in Berhale, Dalul, Erebti, Teru, Elidar and cereals, but from April PSNP beneficiaries will receive a partly Dubti woredas, is not yet resolved. Water tankering full basket containing cereals, pulses and vegetable oil. In operations are currently underway in Berhale, Dalul and the first quarter of 2006, the TSF programme completed Erebti woredas of zone 2; Dupti and Elidar woredas in zone dispatch of 2,637 tonnes of CSB and vegetable oil for 1 and Teru woreda in zone 4 by regional authorities, and 94,845 beneficiaries in the region. Food distributions will other partners, including UNICEF and NGOs, particularly take place in seven woredas of Borena, following the COOPI. Partners are also focusing on addressing chronic release of nutritional screening results in May/June. Some water shortages through rehabilitation of existing water 30,000 school children are assisted by WFP's school schemes, drilling new deep wells and construction of hand feeding programme in 81 different schools, and food for dug wells. the second semester is currently under dispatch. Recent rains have damaged roads in some areas of Borena zone According to APDA, the threat of animal disease outbreak and stopped some trucks carrying relief food. is still a concern in the region due to the poor physical conditions of animals. COOPI reports CCPP, entertis, The price of crops have increased (with a still increasing pastoeurellosis, and mange infection (Adho) in shoats in trend) in most main markets of the region. The current Telelak woreda of zone 5. A serious camel disease price level is much higher than the past five year levels. outbreak, which resulted in a huge loss of camels, is also Most market dealers envisaged, given the current trend, reported in the woreda. Meanwhile, regional authorities prices of food grains could still leap up affecting the poor report that after a series of negotiations, the pastoralists that heavily rely on market purchase. Different forms of who migrated to the Chefa valley have returned to their interventions, including PSNP, Relief, TSF and other original places. programs are anticipated to stabilise the market. Livestock prices in all areas have also shown significant increment due to the improving physical condition of the animals and holiday season.

AFAR The performance of the sugum rains was mixed in Afar. Rains are reported in most zones of the region since late March. However, no or very little rain is reported across the northern belt of the region, including Dalul, Koneba, Berhale, and northern villages of Afdera and Elidar.

On 9 April, the Awash River flooded four kebeles in Dubti woreda in Zone One, reportedly affecting up to 7,000 people, which was later estimated to be 1,800 by a rapid assessment mission deployed by the DPPA. The worst affected was Bayahele kebele, which is 12 kms from Dubti Food dispatches are delayed in the region due to bad road town. According to reports, many people were displaced conditions caused by the heavy rains. To date the DPPA and others were stranded by surrounding flood waters. In has dispatched 76 percent of March’s allocation (875 addition, the bridge, which connects Dubti town with Det tonnes). A total of 228 tonnes of blended food and 26 Bahree area, was destroyed by the heavy rains, cutting tonnes of oil are being transported to the region. access to the town. The woreda officials provided 80 bags of maize to the affected people. The federal authorities Meanwhile, Save the Children-UK has recently started a dispatched six tonnes of Corn Soya Blend (CSB) and five project, which is similar to the one in Somali Region. The rolls of plastic sheeting, 0.4 tonnes of sugar, 10 tins of project aims to strengthen the region’s early warning dates, 15 cartons of biscuits and three cartons of different system by building capacities at woreda levels through utensils to the affected population. In addition, the monitoring and collection of early indicator data. This will Regional Health Bureau, with support from UNICEF and inform changes in the humanitarian situation in a timely African Medical Research Foundation, distributed 12,000 manner. Long Lasting Insecticide Nets (LLINs) to the woreda. There are sufficient ITNs in the pipeline (from SNNP CIDA/UNICEF and the Global Fund) to cover the entire The rains in April have generally been good, with moderate malaria at-risk population of Afar (1.2 million) by to heavy rain falls and isolated incidences of floods and/or December 2006. Meanwhile, recent reports indicate that hailstorms in parts of Wolayita, Gedio, Gamo Gofa and the flooding has receded and the Awash River has Sidama zones and in Derashe Special woreda. The rainfall returned to its normal levels. is generally rated as favourable for belg crop development.

Even though the rains in April improved the availability of Due to the depletion of food stocks from the previous water and regenerated pasture, the situation does not harvest, high grain prices and delays in transferring the

A monthly focus on humanitarian trends and activities in Ethiopia, produced by UN OCHA in collaboration with other UN agencies & NGOs

safety net resources, the lowland areas of Gurage, Selti, year’s belg season. The rains have also helped to improve Kembata-Tembaro, Alaba, Sidama and Dawro zones are the overall livestock condition in the region especially in the suffering from food shortages. A recent DPPA led rapid eastern part. High livestock and crops prices are recorded assessment revealed increased malnutrition in Mareko in most zones of the region compared to a normal season woreda of Guraghe zone and Dalocha woreda of Silti at this time of the year. This was mainly because of the zone. It is also anticipated that the situation is the same for Easter holiday and absence of relief and PSNP food Meskan woreda in Guraghe zone; Sankura, Lanfuro and distributions, which normally stabilise the market. Silti woredas in Silti zone; Angacha and Kedida Gamela woredas in Kembata Tembaro zone; Shashego woreda in Of 2,280 tonnes of relief food allocated to Amhara in Hadiya zones and Alaba Special woreda. The survey March, 100 percent has been dispatched, while 1,849 recommends providing supplementary food for 35 percent tonnes of April’s 4,957 tonnes have been dispatched. of the current safety net beneficiaries or immediately Dispatch of WFP’s TSF to Amhara food distribution centres commence EOS screening (rather than waiting until June), is almost complete; to date 1,298 tonnes of blended food so that new cases can also benefit from the program. and 345 tonnes of oil have been dispatched for 61,076 Meanwhile, Action Contre la Faim (ACF) reported alarming beneficiaries. For safety net food, 2,449 tonnes of March’s malnutrition with level 13.6 percent Global Acute 4,430 tonnes allocation and 1,410 tonnes of April’s 5,000 Malnutrition (GAM) and 2.7 percent Severe Acute tonnes allocation have been dispatched to date. Malnutrition (SAM). Consequently, ACF opened a Therapeutic Feeding Programme in the woreda on 24 April TIGRAY and admitted 91 under five children during the first four During the month of April, all belg producing woredas in days. Tigray received sufficient rainfall. The amount and distribution of the rains were better than in March. As a result, the area prepared and planted is satisfactory, with the exception of Hintalo Wajirat woreda in Southern Tigray.

There are no unusual coping mechanisms or problems of malnutrition in all woredas of the region except for a deteriorating food security situation in Erob woreda, where school dropouts, livestock migration and people with signs of physical weakness have increased. Erob is a PSNP cash woreda and the region is considering shifting it to food.

In Tigray, first round of TFS distributions are completed from the January screening and the second round of food dispatches will begin in the third week of May to the Southern, Eastern, Central and North Western zones, where a total of 84,397 beneficiaries will receive rations. This will bring the total food moved in Tigray for 2006 to

4,692 tonnes. The second round of WFP TSF for 99,967 beneficiaries has started moving in the region, which brings the total GAMBELLA amount of food distributed for the first half of the year to The rains in the last week of April have been good in both 5,558 tonnes. A pilot study was conducted by WFP, amount and distribution. Agricultural activities for meher DPPA, RHB, and UNICEF in the region to test a new crops (long rainy season crops) and planting of maize are model of distribution by pre-positioning food prior to the underway in most zones. However, the prevailing insecurity nutritional screening. The finding from the study indicates is severely impeding such efforts in some parts of the that the present logistics system is not adequate to cope region. with pre-positioning. However, the study strongly recommends that food distribution agents should be In the last week of April, UNICEF reported that ten people involved in the nutritional screening process, as a way of have died and 1,400 were infected from acute watery increasing the effectiveness of the screening and reduce diarrhoea in the region. New cases are being reported daily opportunities for beneficiaries to double register. in different locations. A few non-fatal cases have also been reported in three refugee camps in the area. Presently AMHARA UNHCR has suspended the repatriation operation of South The performance of the belg rains was mixed in Amhara. Sudanese refugees due to logistical problems and as a Rainfall in belg crop growing areas of the region was preventive measure to the outbreak. All centres are delayed by two months compared to the normal onset. overwhelmed by this extraordinary load and the RHB has Most belg growing areas of the region received rains pledged to strengthen human resources in Centre. during the month. The rains have so far been generally The situation is exacerbated by the severe shortage of adequate for crop development although most crops are potable water in the Gambella hospital and UNICEF is at significantly behind their normal growth stage. The region present fetching water from the Catholic Mission compound has planted 83 percent of what has been planned for this to provide to the admitted patients. A coordination meeting

A monthly focus on humanitarian trends and activities in Ethiopia, produced by UN OCHA in collaboration with other UN agencies & NGOs

was held in Gambella town on 24 April to discuss the most Upcoming and Ongoing Meetings immediate and appropriate interventions and define the role of each organisation. The RHB and MSF-CH will be In Addis Ababa involved in case management, surveillance and community awareness, while UNICEF will be involved in May 2, 16, 23 Water Task Force Meeting, MoWR, the provision of clean water, sanitation, shelter material 1000hrs (Open to all) and oral re-hydration salts and drugs. Meanwhile, UNICEF has dispatched US$ 543,000 worth of supplies to May 4, 23 UN Technical Officers meeting, UNOCHA, Gambella, including pillow tanks, tents, Emergency Water 0900hrs (UN Internal Meeting) Treatment Units and medical supplies based on the requests received from the respective regional bureaus. May 5,12,19,26 DSS (UN Department of Safety & Security The RHB has also committed Birr 250,000 to avert this Meeting), ECA, 0930hrs (UN Internal crisis. In addition, MSF-CH is treating the water meeting) with chlorine and dispatched a team comprised of two health specialists and medical supplies. Population May 10 Early Warning Working Group meeting, Services International’s WaterGuard, a chlorine treatment, DPPA, 1000hrs (Open to all) is being sold on the market in Gambella town. Meanwhile, a new UN interagency Acute Diarrhoeal Disease Multi-agency Nutrition Task Force Meeting, 1400hrs, DPPA (Open to all) Preparedness and Response Committee has been formed, with the objective of coordinating UN response in May 10, 24 Emergency Health and Nutrition Task EHNTF meetings at FMOH. Force Meeting, MoH, 1400hrs (Open to all)

There have been reports of security incidences in the May 16 Oromiya Regional Coordination Meeting, region. Recent reports indicate that people from the Lau- 1400hrs (Open to all) Nuer tribe from the neighboring areas of Sudan attacked 48 villages in four woredas of and one woreda May 17 Food Aid Task Force Meeting, DPPA in . Reportedly, 50 people have died and 60 conference room, 0900hrs (Open to all) others are injured. Up to 10,070 livestock plundered and a large number of people are reportedly displaced to May 18 Agriculture Task Force Meeting, FAO, Madeng in woreda (Nuer zone) and Fegag (under 0900hrs (Open to all) Sudan administration). ICRC is currently conducting an assessment to verify the situation. The region has Avian Flu, Nigeria Lounge, ECA compound, 1430hrs (UN Internal requested DPPA to immediately allocate food and non- Meeting) food assistance. May 24 UN/NGO Information Exchange Meeting, UNDP (TBC)

MORE THAN ONE MILLION CHILDREN TO BE May 25 Technical Information Management Exchange, DPPA conference room, VACCINATED AGAINST POLIO 1000hrs (Open to all)

In the Regions The Federal Ministry of Health, in collaboration with WHO and UNICEF, launched a four-day, house-to- May 2, 30 Somali Regional Livestock Task Force house polio immunisation campaign on 12 May. The Meeting, Jijiga, 0900hrs (Open to all) campaign targets 1.1 million children under the age of five in 15 identified high-risk zones of Somali, Afar, and May 3 Afar Regional Emergency Coordination Oromiya regions. The campaign covers all zones in Meeting, Semera Somali Region; some woredas of Bale and East and West Hararghe zones in Oromiya Region; and zones 1, May 3, 17, 31 Somali Regional WES Task Force Meeting, Jijiga, 0900hrs (Open to all) 2, and 3 of Afar Region. The latest polio case was

found in Boh woreda, Warder zone, Somali Region, Somali Regional Emergency Health & bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the Nutrition Task Force Meeting, Jijiga, country to 25 since December 2004. For more 1430hrs p.m. (Open to all) information contact: [email protected] Events

May 15 Presentation-discussion, Regional drought preparedness and prevention initiative, 1000 hrs, EC delegation meeting room

May 18 & 19 PCI workshop for national parliamentarians, Hilton Hotel

A monthly focus on humanitarian trends and activities in Ethiopia, produced by UN OCHA in collaboration with other UN agencies & NGOs

CONCERN OVER POSSIBLE MALARIA OUTBREAK IN BORENA ZONE (OROMIYA REGION) AND

SOMALI REGION

The risk of a malaria epidemic in southern Ethiopia is currently at its highest level in recent years, supported by a study just completed in Northern Kenya, which concluded that current conditions there (bordering southern Ethiopia) are similar to those that led to catastrophic malaria outbreaks in 1951, 1961/62 and 1997/8. A FEWSNET malaria epidemic risk map identified southern and southeastern Ethiopia as the highest risk areas in Africa in April. Experiencing a serious humanitarian crisis due to the failure of two successive rains, Borena zone and southern zones of Somali Region welcomed the long awaited gu/hagaya (belg) rains. Even though the rains improved water availability and replenished pasture, they also increased health concerns, as the interrupted pattern of recent rains has created favourable conditions for mosquito breeding. WHO recently conducted a rapid assessment in Borena zone, where they found that malaria preparedness and prevention activities are weak. More than 30 health facilities are not functional and those functioning have both inadequate human resources and drug supplies. While there are stocks of essential drugs at zonal and regional levels, they have not been distributed timely to health facilities. It is critical that these are distributed as soon as possible. The assessment further found that environmental control measures are not being implemented adequately, and there was no indoor residual spraying of insecticides before the current rainy season. Furthermore, the absence of a serious malaria epidemic in Borena zone in the last three to four years could increase the risk of an outbreak as the absence of an outbreak could lead to a reduction in community’s immunity (herd immunity). With respect to malaria supplies, including Artemisinine Combination Therapy (ACT), Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDT) and Insecticide Treated Nets (ITNs), the country is in a better position than previous years. Over 200,000 ITNs have been distributed in Somali Region and Borena zone since 2004 and a further 500,000 are planned to be distributed in these areas in the coming four months. To improve the appropriate use of these supplies, the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH), with support from UNICEF, is reprinting malaria treatment and diagnosis guidelines and

charts (for quick reference).

Activities crucial to preventing an epidemic include timely delivery and management of essential drugs, effective

distribution of ITNs, intensified disease surveillance and instituting other vector control measures, including indoor residual spraying and environmental sanitation. Awareness among the community should also be raised, to ensure that drugs, ITNs, and other supplies are used appropriately. In addition, NGOs continued and scaled-up support is urgently required to improve the quality of malaria control and increase the coverage. The FMoH has organised malaria assessment teams as part of their annual activities to assess the national epidemic situation. Results are awaited from the two teams that recently visited Borena zone, as well as from UNICEF’s planned rapid malaria prevalence surveys in Borena zone. WHO is assisting the Regional Health Bureau in the redeployment of health professionals, coordination of partners and intensifying disease surveillance. The RHB, in collaboration with WHO, conducted a training of trainers’ course for woreda focal persons in Borena zone, who will then train staff at health institutions. This is expected to improve the local capacity to respond to malaria outbreaks. In addition, health staff skills in providing malaria treatment could be further improved through training from the 25 emergency mobile health and nutrition teams in Borena zone and Somali Region currently providing high standard malaria control services. However, the prolonged drought season in the region has minimised the coping capacity of the community and a slight shock could result in disproportional mortalities and morbidities. While coordination at the zonal level improved during the emergency period, there is concern that recent improvements brought by the current rains will lead to weaker coordination efforts. For more information contact: [email protected] & [email protected]

TOTAL FOOD REQUIREMENTS (Food and Supplementary Food Component of EOS) 366,413 tonnes TOTAL CONTRIBUTIONS 296,813 tonnes FUNDED 81%

TOTAL NON-FOOD REQUIREMENTS US$ 111,014,995 Contributions: Agriculture US$ 3,579,368 Health and Nutrition US$ 19,591,483 Water and Sanitation US$ 8,327,368 Disaster Response / Capacity Strengthening US$ 65,363 Overall Coordination US$ 730,728

GRAND TOTAL US$ 39,254,310 FUNDED 34.4%

A monthly focus on humanitarian trends and activities in Ethiopia, produced by UN OCHA in collaboration with other UN agencies & NGOs