South/Central Somalia is on the verge of cholera outbreak, WHO has warned. In a press release issued on 6 April, 304 cases of Acute Watery Diarrhea (AWD), including six deaths were reported between 1 March and 3 April in Mogadishu. A WHO investigation team visited the hospital in the first week of April to verify the outbreak and assist in response. WHO attributed the outbreak to the combination of the population movement to Mogadishu, drought and interruption of water and sanitation activities due to the ongoing fighting in the city. In 2007, a cholera outbreak in South/Central Somalia affected 37,000 people including 1,133 related deaths. WHO fears that the new cases represent an even more serious threat to the already vulnerable population in the country.
The Famine Early Warning Systems Network says the 2009 Gu rains (mid-April to mid-June) began during late March and early April in the North and in parts of South/Central, indicating a timely onset of the rains. In drought-affected regions of Galgaduud and Mudug, light rains have provided some short-term relief, improving water supplies. However, the Food Security Analysis Unit warns that even if the Gu rains are good and inflation continues to reduce, the currently affected population will continue to require humanitarian assistance since recovery will require several consecutive normal seasons due to the prolonged nature and severity of the crisis.
Piracy in the Somali waters rose dramatically during the reporting period affecting WFP food shipments and humanitarian assistance to the region. On 8 April, a vessel carrying more than 4,000 metric tons of corn-soya blend for Somalia and other food aid items bound for other countries in the Horn of Africa, was hijacked. The ship’s captain was held hostage but was freed and the ship arrived at the port of Mombasa this week. On 13 April, a ship booked to transport 7,300 metric tons of food was hijacked enroute to loading in Mumbai. On the same day, a US cargo ship transporting 27,000 metric tons of food for Somalia, Kenya and Sudan was attacked. No one was injured and the vessel docked safely in Mombasa.
The erratic security situation in South/Central regions continued to place the lives of civilians and humanitarian workers under threat during the reporting period. Attacks on the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) by insurgents in Mogadishu claimed the lives of at least 10 civilians and injured more than 30. On 13 April, one person was killed and five others wounded when a mortar hit a limb-fitting centre of the Somali Red Crescent Society (SRCS) in Mogadishu. Two Somali aid workers and their driver were killed on 10 April as they were leaving for a field trip in Elberde, Bakool region. The motive of the killings is unknown.
Despite the unpredictable security situation in Mogadishu, limited access for humanitarian workers and constrained capacity of basic services, the number of IDPs and refugee returning since January reached just over 61,000. UNHCR is leading an inter-agency assessment of the situation in Mogadishu, which will guide the assistance of protection policy of the humanitarian community with regards to the returnee communities.
Somalis continue to seek better lives outside of Somalia by attempting the dangerous journey across the Gulf of Aden into Yemen and beyond. On 4 April, some 20 people died when their boat capsized off the coast of Yemen. Another eight people died on 5 April when their boat also capsized. Since January, 17,035 people have attempted the journey with 74 reported dead and 51 missing and presumed dead.
Response
In Bossaso, Puntland, 1,421 metric tons of assorted WFP food was distributed to 84,246 beneficiaries under the general food programme. Another 55 metric tons was distributed to 1,626 people under the food-for-asset programme for the completion of a 4 km road intended to improve access between Bossaso and other parts of the coast. Over 159,000 people in Gedo and Hiraan regions benefited from a distribution of 2,721 metric tons of food during the reporting period. Another 8,000 people in Somaliland received 71 metric tons of assorted food commodities under the Social Support and Emergency School Feeding programmes. Some 81,500 people in Ceel Waaq, Baardheere, Belet Weyne and Baidoa districts in Gedo and Bay regions benefited from a General Food Distribution and Supplementary Feeding programmes.
The Child Health Days immunization campaign which includes immunization, de-worming, Vitamin A, Oral re-hydration and distribution of Aquatabs for household water treatment is ongoing in 12 districts of Middle Shabelle, Hiraan, and Galgaduud regions in South/Central Somalia. The campaign aims to reach 257,000 children under five years of age and approximately 307,000 women of child bearing age with tetanus vaccine alongside various health education messages.
Over 7,500 people in Northwest Somaliland will benefit from rehabilitated and constructed boreholes where populations mainly relay on small water collection points, which have long dried up. Water chlorination stocks have also been pre-positioned in Somaliland through the Water and Mineral Resources Ministry in case of Acute Watery Diarrhoea outbreak. UNICEF and Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) cluster partners are also preparing to truck water to Toghdeer, Sool and Sanaag regions in the coming week to benefit more than 1,800 households affected by the prolonged dry season.
WASH partners and UNICEF are also trucking water in Afmadow, Lower Juba, El Wak, Gedo and Adale in Middle Shabelle where there are populations affected by drought.
Source: Mareeg blog
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