OCHA – Coordination Saves Lives Issue # 21 20‐27 May 2011 Key Overall Developments FSNAU Nutrition update A nutrition survey conducted by the Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Unit for the first time in seven years in Mogadishu, in April, shows Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) rates of 15.2 per cent. However, despite access constraints in Mogadishu, the humanitarian community continues to respond to the nutrition situation through four stabilization centers, 33 Targeted Supplementary Feeding Programmes, 51 Outpatient Therapeutic Programmes and one Blanket Supplementary Feeding Programme. Mid Upper Arm Circumference assessments (MUAC) conducted in the Shabelle and Juba regions both show a likely very critical situation. More surveys are planned for June and July to ascertain the exact situation. Security/Displacement Mogadishu: During the reporting week, heavy fighting took place between the Transitional Federal Government/African Union Mission in Somalia and Al Shabaab in the northern districts of Hawl Wadaag, Hodan and Wardhiigleey in Mogadishu. At least 50 civilians were killed and nearly 140 others were wounded. WHO says that between 1‐21 May, 1,590 people have been admitted to the three main hospitals in Mogadishu with weapon‐related injuries. This brings the total number of weapon‐related injuries to nearly 3,900 from January to 21 May 2011. Access to the market, which provides livelihood opportunities to the civilians, continues to be hampered. Civilian displacements occurred from Hawl Wadaag, Hodan districts and areas around the market where the fighting took place. WHO is extremely concerned about the increase in the number of casualties of children under 5 years of age in the past three weeks. Of the 1,590 weapon‐related injuries in May, 735 cases or 46 per cent were children, an increase from 3.5 per cent in April. WHO says the high casualty figures of children is because of the high population around the Bakara market, the scene of the fighting. WHO organized a special training on basic and advanced emergency surgical trauma management for children in Banadir Hospital. A total of 40 doctors and nurses participated in both the practical and theoretical sessions. Hiraan region: On 23 May, fighting occurred between a militia group called the Shabelle Valley State and Al Shabaab in Balcad village in Belet Weyne district. Field reports indicate that residents of the village were displaced to Luuq Dheere and Qarsoni villages, but the exact number could be verified. UNHCR reports that since 23 February, at least 58,300 displacements have occurred countrywide mainly due to insecurity, drought and lack of livelihoods. Nearly 29,000 displacements were from or within Mogadishu, of whom 13,800 fled the capital and another 16,000 moved to calmer parts of Mogadishu. IDPs evicted in Bossaso Nearly 5,000 IDPs who were residing in two of the largest settlements in Bossaso, Puntland, were forcefully evicted by land owners with no prior notification. The issue of forced eviction of IDPs in Puntland is now becoming a worrying trend that needs to be addressed by the government. Some host community residents donated land for the evictees, but the land lacks basic services including water and sanitation. It is not known how long the IDPs will be allowed to reside in the new location. The joint UN and Puntland Government IDP task force will address the issue through existing relocation guiding principles. Response Shelter and Non‐Food Items (NFI) During the reporting week, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) distributed a total of 12,600 NFI kits to 12,600 households displaced in and around Mogadishu. The kits comprised of blankets, plastic sheets, utensils and jerry cans. Some 5,000 kits went to 5,000 households in Daynile district, another 5,000 kits were distributed to 5,000 households in Ceelcarfid along the Balcad Corridor and the remaining 2,600 NFI kits were distributed to 2,600 households in Arbiska, along the Afgooye corridor. UNHCR and the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) distributed NFIs to nearly 600 households in Qardho IDP settlements in Bossaso, Puntland. The mission of OCHA is to mobilize and coordinate effective and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors. Celebrating 20 years of coordinated humanitarian action UNOCHA Somalia, Ngecha Rd. (off Lower Kabete Rd). P.O Box 28832, 00200, Nairobi, Kenya. Tel: +254 20 4002400 Website: http://ochaonline.un.org/Somalia Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) The NRC also finished constructing eight toilets at the Medina Hospital with four of the eight specially constructed for disabled patients. On 24 May, the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) carried out emergency water trucking for 1,200 evicted IDPs in Bossaso, Puntland. The NGO COOPI commenced the distribution of water vouchers to 1,000 IDP households in five settlements in Bossaso. This response is benefiting the most vulnerable and poorest IDP households; each family will receive 40 litres of potable water per day until the end of the project in December 2011. NGO Concern distributed NFI kits to 216 households of newly displaced people in Hamar Weyne district in Mogadishu, comprising of plastic sheets, blankets, mosquito nets, collapsible jerry cans and sanitation materials. The NGO also finished constructing 32 latrines in the same district. Agriculture and Livelihoods On 21 May, COOPI started cash‐for‐work activities for 300 selected poor families in five IDP settlements in Bossaso, Puntland. Each settlement selected the poorest and most vulnerable 60 people in their camps to benefit from the intervention. At least 90 per cent of the beneficiaries are female headed households who will work three days a week till the end of the project in December. Health Health cluster partners reactivated the cholera task force in Baidoa, Bay region, following the confirmation of cholera in the area. According to WHO, eight out of 10 samples collected from patients suffering from Acute Watery Diarrhoea tested positive for cholera. Health partners are also setting up a cholera treatment centre in Baidoa Hospital to provide additional support to the 200 cases reported by 21 May. NGOs such as COOPI are also providing medical supplies while WHO provided a cholera kit that can treat up to 100 people, a tent and 10 cholera beds to the hospital. UNICEF and partners intensified the chlorination of water points by distributing 250 grams of chlorine, 20 cartons of soap to promote hygiene, 100 sachets of oral rehydration salts, 10,000 litres of water bladders, 50 jerry cans of 20 litre capacity and 20 cartons of aqua tabs. These interventions took place in Baidoa. Food Assistance During the week under review, WFP delivered a total of 207 metric tons of mixed food commodities to 167,800 beneficiaries through wet feeding, institutional feeding, general food distribution and nutrition programmes. Out of the total beneficiaries reached, 165,600 are in the central region and 2,200 in Somaliland. WFP food distribution for a food‐for‐work project in Jazeera, Wadajir district, in Mogadishu was put on hold due to a dispute over the administrative control of the district between the TFG authority and a newly self‐declared administration JICC. WFP officially took the issue up with TFG officials and will resume the project once the issue is resolved. The NGO Concern distributed 36 metric tons of assorted food commodities (20kg of Rice, 20kgs wheat flour, 11kgs pulse, 6 litres of cooking oil, and 10kg of sugar) through a voucher system to 540 IDP households in Hamar jajab, Wadajir and Dharkenley districts in Mogadishu. Contact: For further information in English contact Rita Maingi on +254 734 800 120 – [email protected] and in Somalia contact Abdi Yussuf Noor on +254 734 210 103 – [email protected] The mission of OCHA is to mobilize and coordinate effective and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors. Celebrating 20 years of coordinated humanitarian action UNOCHA Somalia, Ngecha Rd. (off Lower Kabete Rd). P.O Box 28832, 00200, Nairobi, Kenya. Tel: +254 20 4002400 Website: http://ochaonline.un.org/Somalia .