At least six people died in March and 367 others were admitted to cholera treatment centres following an outbreak of acute watery diarrhoea in BeletWeyne in central Somalia’s Hiraan region.
MOGADISHU (RBC) Rains began in late March in many parts of Somalia easing the dry weather conditions that caused water shortages, particularly in the northern regions of Sool, Sanaag and Togdheer, and parts of the Gedo region in the South in the first quarter, UNOCHA said in a new report.
The moderate to heavy downpour marked an early start to the April-June Gu rainy season, with Gaalk-acyo, Eyl, Laas Caanood in Mudug, Nugaal and Bari, respectively, and Jowhar and Baardheere districts in southern Somalia recording significant rains according to the UN-led Somalia Water and Land Information Management Unit.
Somalia has two distinct rainy seasons: the Gu, long rains that support the main cropping season and the Deyr short rains, which usually fall from October to December. Despite the respite the two rainy seasons bring, they also render many roads impassable due to lack of maintenance, and impede access to those most in need of humanitarian assistance. The rains also impact negatively on the displaced due to lack of proper shelter and exposure to water-borne diseases and malaria.
There are an estimated 1.1 million people displaced in Somalia, with the vast majority living in difficult conditions. In southern Somalia, including Ceel Barde, and parts of the central regions and Somaliland, the nutrition situation is likely to remain critical due to the lack of or limited health infrastructure, poor feeding practices and outbreaks of acute watery diarrhoea and measles during the rainy season.
Relief items pre-positioned in key locations to ensure rapid response
To ensure a rapid response to emergencies during the rainy season, aid workers have scaled up activities and pre-positioned emergency supplies in strategic locations. The rains raise the risk of disease outbreaks, while flooding is a major concern.
Nutrition partners flew in supplies to six locations in the southern and central regions, including 39,500 cartons of plumpy nut, 1,000 cartons of supplementary foods, 19 nutrition kits containing equipment for measuring weight and height for children under 5 years of age. In addition, 450 cartons of emergency food rations, and routine medicines were also delivered to partners and warehouses throughout the country. The plumpy nut is targeted for 39,500 children for about three months, the supplementary plumpy will cater for at least 1,000 children for a month and the kits will be distributed to 19 outpatient therapeutic programmes. To curb acute watery diarrhoea (AWD), nutrition partners also increased early screening for malnutrition and treatment.
Food security partners pre-positioned humanitarian assistance for several months in key locations. In March, at the start of the Gu agricultural season and rains, the cluster started distributing seeds ahead of the planting season and vaccinated animals. More than 210,000 people in over 120 villages across 11 districts are targeted to be given seeds and farm tools, while 1.8 million people were targeted with livestock vaccinations to protect their animals from disease outbreaks such as the Rift Valley Fever. Cluster partners are also exploring how to respond during the lean season in high-risk areas, when households have little food until the next harvest in July and August.
Swift health response controls diarrhea outbreak
At least six people died in March and 367 others were admitted to cholera treatment centres following an outbreak of acute watery diarrhea in Belet Weyne in central Somalia’s Hiraan region. Aid workers joined efforts to respond to the outbreak, which is now reported to be under control. Hygiene promotion activities such as dissemination of hygiene messages are ongoing reaching at least 31,000 people in Beletweyne. Other activities include water chlorination, distribution of aqua tabs and hand-washing campaigns.
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