OCHA Situation Report No. 43
Liberia
15 September 2003


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)

GENERAL SITUATION

In response to the attack on Phebe Hospital, and theft of NGO equipment
(Salala), the UN Special Humanitarian Coordinator has approached the
National Defence Minister and sought his assurance that efforts will now
be made to recover the stolen goods.  The Special Coordinator also urged
the Minister to ensure that those responsible for these acts, in direct
contravention of the Agreement on Humanitarian Assistance (signed by all
Parties to the conflict) are identified and held accountable.  A safe
working environment, and unimpeded access to civilians, is imperative for
humanitarian actors operating in Liberia.

HUMANITARIAN ACTIVITIES BY SECTOR

1. Food aid

a) WFP is expecting to begin distributions in the Montserrado camps early
next week. It is anticipated that the provision of full basket rations
(cereals, CSB, sugar, veg. oil, salt).  Due to heightened insecurity and
restricted accessibility, distributions outside of Monrovia are limited to
small caseloads of targeted beneficiaries mainly under MCH and children
under five feeding programmes.

b) From 16 August until 5 September, WFP has provided assistance to
419,177 beneficiaries with 2,994 Mt of food. In addition, WFP distributed
337 Mt of food to an estimated 62,130 people through special feeding
programmes. These programmes involved distributions of HEB and a premix of
CSB, sugar and oil for children under five.  A WFP food aid monitor was
sent out to Buchanan on 10 September to assess the situation after the
first distribution this week, notably with regard to protection of the
beneficiaries.

c) WFP will cooperate with UNICEF and s launch an Emergency School Feeding
programme for the beginning of the school year next month.  School
assessments, determination of caseloads and locations are to be completed.
UNDP indicated interest in partial funding for schools rehabilitation.

2. Health and Nutrition

a) Thirteen patients from Phebe Hospital, Salala, have been retrieved.  
The whereabouts and condition of the remaining 37 remains unknown.  The
United Nations World Health Organisation (WHO) today delivered an
emergency medical kit (supplies) to Phebe Hospital, partially replenishing
looted stock.

b) A nutrition survey carried out this week has found that severe
malnutrition is on the rise among children outside Liberia's capital city,
Monrovia.  The survey carried out by World Vision, WHO, UNICEF and the
Ministry of Health indicated that children of ages six to 59 months in the
city of Tubmanburg (71km west of Monrovia) is very high.  Of the total of
680 children screened 22 of them are suffering from oedema, the worst
stage of starvation. WV Liberia Health and Nutrition Manager Francois
Batalingaya described the findings as very grave but hopeful that given a
conducive security environment, World Vision would move in quickly to
provide general rations to children and adults in dire need of food and
establish a supplementary feeding centre for the sick children.

3. Water and Sanitation

An inter-agency UN and NGO mission today re-visited Kakata - BWI
vocational institute, and Felela - primary school, in northeast Liberia.  
While food aid remains the pre-eminent requirement of these vulnerable
people, water and sanitation needs remain significant.  The international
NGO Concern has renewed its sanitation assistance at the BWI Institute,
where an estimated 3,000 IDPs are located.  Concern will also recommence
sanitation work in Totota.

4. Protection

a) The Protection Steering Group met today and discussed a range of issues
including the protection of IDPs and disarmament of child soldiers.  An
inter-agency UN/NGO field mission comprising IRC, UNHCR and UNICEF is
scheduled to visit Tubmanburg next Wednesday.

b) With new funding from French Government (approximately $ 85,000) for
Family Tracing and Reunification (FTR), UNICEF is working to review its
FTR work with Save the Children - UK (SC-UK) as the situation on ground
has changed dramatically since May.  The programme will last one year
-beyond the initial December 2003 schedule.  UNICEF and SC-UK are
considering the FTR component of DDR, specifically for children associated
with fighting forces in Interim Care Centres (ICC).  A trilateral
coordination meeting with UNICEF, SC-UK and ICRC, is scheduled to meet and
discuss FTR issues next week.

c) UNICEF Protection Unit is working to identify qualified partners on
emergency NFI distributions in the Montserrado camps, as well as possible
programmes for street children and orphanages.

COMMON SERVICES

5. United Nations Joint Logistic Centre (UNJLC)

The UNJLC has advised that the 20,355 gallons of petroleum (provided by
WFP) to assist in the recommencement of power generation, and water supply
in Monrovia, is presently in storage.  Some of the supply has already been
used for electricity generation.  Additional repairs however, are required
to make the electricity plant fully functional, for which funds are
currently being sought.  Additional issues include safety at the water
plant, which will be addressed in cooperation with ECOMIL forces.

6. Humanitarian Information Centre (HIC)

Please visit the website www.humanitarianinfo.org/liberia


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