EMERGENCY WHO AND HUMANITARIAN ACTION (EHA) Country Office WEEKLY UPDATE /

Ethiopia

Addis Ababa ECA New Building Ground Floor

World Health Organization (WHO) Week 31 (28 July to 3 August 2008) Emergency and Humanitarian Action (EHA)

♦ Joint efforts Government of Ethiopia and hu- manitarian partners coordinate interventions to overcome needs of estimation number of 1,9 mil- lion people, due to food crisis in Somali Region. HIGHLIGHTS The areas for intervention include water supply, health and nutrition, food distribution and sup- port of livestock and agriculture in highly af- fected districts in Somali Region.

I. FOOD SECURITY SITUATION IN ETHIOPIA Ethiopian Profiles Situation Response Location: Horn of Africa ⇒ Last month, the Government of Ethiopia ⇒ The Somali Region Special Committee Population: Approx. 80,000.000 conducted multi-stakeholder Belg/Gu as- (SRSC), which comprises of DPPA and Surface: 1.1 million sq km Capital city: Addis Ababa sessments in Somali, Amhara, Tigray and the UN Humanitarian Coordinator (co- Regions: 9; City Administrations: 2 Afar, Southern Nations, Nationalities and chairs), WFP, WHO, OCHA, UNICEF, Refugees: 88,918 as of June 2008 Peoples (SNNP) and Oromiya Regions. USAID, OFDA and two NGOs (Oxfam (UNHCR) ⇒ The findings confirmed a significant in- GB and SCUK) and government depart- crease in needs. In addition the missions ments, met again on 30 July 2008. Ethiopia predicted an increase in the number of ⇒ The committee is set up by DDPA to beneficiaries in the coming months. The facilitate the coordination of Somali preliminary results from the Somali region emergency response at central level. indicate a critical situation requiring an Each sector (water, health, nutrition, immediate response to prevent further de- food, livestock/agriculture) was re- terioration into a serious food security and quested to develop sectoral action plan nutritional crisis. and identify needs in response to Somali ⇒ Current number crisis. of people in need ⇒ The Health & Nutrition Task Force of assistance (EHNTF) was held on 31st of July 2008. Map of Africa showing Ethiopia countrywide was The objective was to plan the develop- estimated to be ment the action plan. The participants 4,9 million and were FMoH, WHO, UNICEF and the 13 1.9 million of Drought affected area / Somali NGOs cleared by the Government to

Somali Region them are in Somali Region. operate in Somali Region. The meeting ⇒ Somali Regional Government office has was chaired by the State Minister of officially alerted and requested the central Health and WHO played the role of sec- government for support. retary. Following this meeting, a com- ⇒ The Somali Regional Health Bureau (RHB) mittee of 5 members (FMoH, WHO, has identified 29 districts in 8 zones criti- UNICEF, Save the Children UK and In- cally affected by the crisis and that need ternational Medical Corps -IMC) was set urgent interventions. RHB is planning with up to finalizeMalnourished the action Child plan. in TreatmentThe com- Map of Ethiopia showing Somali Region the support of FMoH and Partners to estab- mittee met onCenter the same in Oromiya, day and April on 2008 1st of lish SCs* and OTPs** in these districts. August to finalize (Picture:the document. UNOCHA)

* SCs: Stabilization Centers (Therapeutic Feeding Centers) * GoE: Government of Ethiopia ** OTPs: Outpatient Therapeutic Programmes ** DPPA: Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Agency

Page 2 ⇒ The draft document submitted to the Sate minister on 1st ⇒ No feedback from CERF Secretariat yet on the nutrition of August for finalization and submission to DPPA. proposal of US$ 350,000 ⇒ In SNNPR, currently there are a total of 278 OTPs estab- submitted by WHO for lished in 40 districts with a total beneficiaries of 17,978. funding. Training of health extension workers have started since ⇒ WHO Nutritionist is cur- 26th of July and is still going on. Regional Child survival rently in Dire Dawa City meeting was held on 25th of July 2008 and chaired by the Administration facilitat- RHB Head. There were 29 participants including WHO. ing the health staff train- ⇒ From January to July 2008, a total amount of 43,029 MT ing on severe malnutri- of food were distributed nationally to 1,025,030 benefici- tion case management or- WHO Team during Supervision Visit to Feeding Centers in Dire aries by DPPA/WFP. In addition 30,007 MT have been ganized by the region Dawa / July 2008 pre-positioned in the region. health bureau.

II. DISEASE OUTBREAK SITUATIONS IN ETHIOPIA

1. Acute Watery Diarrhea Epidemic

⇒ Five districts in and one dis- District reporting AWD Cases as of 27 July 2008 / Ethiopia trict (Akaki) in Oromiya Region continue to report acute watery diarrhea cases in Ethiopia. 10 0 Amhara Region remains the most affected re- 80 Ankesha Jawi gion: 2 districts (Ankeha and Jawi) from Awi 60 Takusa zone and 3 districts (Takusa, and Dem- 40 Chilga Dembia

bia) from North Zone. # of Cases 20 Akaki ⇒ This week, 44 cases and zero death were re- 0 ported. Cumulative cases and deaths nationally Wk 26 Wk 27 Wk 28 Wk 29 Wk 30 from 1st of January 2008 to date are 1,192 and 11 respectively, Case fatality Rate:0.9%. National Trend Shows Acute Watery Diarrhea [ AWD ] Cases and Deaths as of Epidemic Weeks 1 - 31 [ January - August 3, 2008 ] 200 ⇒ WHO has just completed a full WASH** as- 68 180 64 sessment for risk factor identification in Am- 60 hara Region. The main findings were poor safe 160 56 152 52 water supply, sani- 140 48 124 44 tation and hygiene 120 116 40 and shortage of 100 99 36 water purification 32 80 28 72 Number of Cases products. 67 65 Deaths of Number 24 60 58 53 20 ⇒ WHO has assigned 48 44 16 40 38 one expert provid- 34 32 12 26 21 8 ing technical sup- 20 17 18 18 Drinking Water Point Collection 10 3 8 9 9 4 6 4 2 port to the region. 0 000000 1 13 000000000000 1 001 0 1 000 000000 at Takusaa District, July 2008 12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031

In addition sur- (Picture: Tesfaye/WHO) Epidemic Weeks

Analysis: Emergency and Humanitarian Action and DPC Units veillance activities World Health Organization - Ethiopia Country Office Data Source: Federal Ministry of Health - Ethiopia AWD_Cases AWD_Deaths are strengthened in the region. Date of Production: August 4, 2008

2. Meningococcal meningitis Cases in Ethiopia

National Trend Shows Meningitis Cases and Deaths as of Epidemic Weeks 1 - 30 ⇒ There is no more case of meningococcal meningitis re- [ January - July 27, 2008 ] 100 50

ported since epidemiologic week 27. The last case reported 90 45 on 29 June 2008 from Wadara district of Guji Zone/ 80 40 70 35 64 60 30 Oromiya Region. From January 2008 to date there were 58

50 49 50 25 45 612 cases and 18 deaths reported nationally, CFR:2.9%. 43 40 38 20 35 33 30 29 15 ⇒ The significant reduction in the number of reported cases Number of Cases 28 24 ofNumber Deaths 20 20 18 19 10

12 is most likely due to the vaccination campaign conducted 10 11 11 5 7 3 3 7 2 2 2 13 3 1 1 3 1 1 in high risks districts with more than 650,000 people vac- 0 100000 00 0 0 0 00 00000 0000000000 123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930 cinated and the rainfalls that started in most parts of the Epidemic Weeks Analysis: Emergency and Humanitarian Action and DPC Units World Health Organization - Ethiopia Country Office Data Source: Federal Ministry of Health - Ethiopia country few weeks ago. Cases Deaths Date of Production: August 4, 2008 *MT: Million Tones EHA Ethiopia Weekly Update –Week 31 / 2008 **WASH: Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Promotion

Page 3 III. OTHER PARTNER ACTIONS & ON-GOING PROGRAMMES

⇒ Flood due to heavy rainfalls in Shashego district of SNNPR ⇒ affected population. The regional council is currently on 8th of July 2008 have affected 23,100 family members, mobilizing resources to respond to the needs of the af- and has damaged 192 households. Lost of properties and fected population. animals were registered. The local council estimated the total cost of lost items to US$ 90,000. Shelters, blankets, ⇒ WHO team is supporting the region in monitoring dis- seeds cooking pots and food are the actual needs for the eases with epidemic potential in the affected area.

IV. COORDINATION

Special Committee to strengthen Somali Operations Household Water Treatment Network (HWTN) Committee: ⇒ This week the coordination was dominated by the activi- ⇒ The Ethiopian HWTN Committee met on 30/07/08 under ties of the Somali Special committee: information sharing, the leadership of WHO. The committee is comprised of development of sectoral action plans, and compilation of WHO, UNICEF, PSI and FMoH. The objective was to re- sector action plans. The committee has recommended the activate the Committee and follow up the recommenda- 13 NGOs cleared to operate in Somali Region to move into tions of the international meeting of October 2007 in the region as soon as possible. For those already having Addis Ababa. interventions in the regions should explore the possibility of expanding their activities. More NGO could be cleared Other coordination Activities: to work in Somali Region in the near future. ⇒ Various coordination meetings (Humanitarian Coordina- tion, UN Technical Officers, HRF Board, WASH task Emergency health & Nutrition Task force (EHNTF) force and Nutrition task force) were held during the ⇒ Members of the EHNTF forum (15 members) met to plan week with the participation of WHO. the development of the health and nutrition action plan ⇒ In addition, UNICEF and WHO organized the AWD* for Somali emergency response. The meeting held on 31st WASH Technical Working Group Meeting on 1st of Au- of July 2008 at FMoH Conference room and was chaired gust 2008 to follow up the implementation of the com- by the State Minister of Health. mittee ‘s activities.

V. COMMENTS

⇒ Somali Region is one of the most affected regions by the ⇒ The high commitment shown by the federal authorities food crisis in Ethiopia. In addition it is one of the poorest and high level of responsibility and ownership of the with weak public infrastructures, low health service cov- Regional Government in response to the actual emer- erage, lack of qualified staff and high number of IDP* due gency will most likely make a difference, but more NGOs ethnic conflicts. In addition the region hosts an important need to be given green light by the Government of Ethio- number of refugees from neighboring country mainly pia for working in the region. Currently only 13 NGOs from Somalia. are cleared to work in Somali Region.

*AWD: Acute watery diarrhea ** IDP: Internally Displaced people

For more information please contact: WHO Country Office, Addis Ababa / Ethiopia Tel: (+251) (0) 115 53 47 77 / 53 15 50 Email: [email protected]

EHA Ethiopia Weekly Update –Week 31 / 2008