OCHA Situation Report
Ethiopia
14 March 2005

Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

URGENT SUPPORT NEEDED TO STOP THE FURTHER SPREAD OF POLIO IN ETHIOPIA

UNICEF and WHO issued a Special Alert to donors this week seeking US 
$4.9 million to stop the spread of polio in Ethiopia. Last month two 
children, both in Tigray Region were found with the virus despite having 
previously received oral doses of the polio vaccine. Tests indicate that 
the two cases are linked to the strain in Sudan which has paralyzed 132 
children since May 2004. In Ethiopia, UNICEF and WHO plan to immunise 
14.7 million children under the age of five during April and May 2005. 
During two National Immunisation Days 100,000 volunteers and health 
workers will go door-to-door to administer the vaccine. The alert is 
available on: www.ocha-eth.org

AFAR REGION UPDATE

Following the request of the Afar regional government, the Federal 
Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Commission (FDPPC) has sent a team 
to do a reassessment of beneficiaries and needs in the region. NGOs are 
reporting that the Belg rain has started in some areas of zone 1, 4 & 5 
of Afar, which is expected to replenish pasture and improve water 
availability, but the situation is still considered critical.

ENHANCED OUTREACH STRATEGY (EOS): PRELIMINARY SCREENING RESULTS

The second round of the Enhanced Outreach (EOS) has been completed by 
the Regional Health Bureau with UNICEF support in 54 woredas of SNNPR. 
The preliminary results from 46 woredas show that out of 1,273,201 
targeted children under 5 years: 1,151,407 children were screened, 
1,152,095 received Vitamin A supplementation and 1,127,229 got 
de-worming tablets. Out of the total number of children screened, 48,111 
(4.2 percent) found moderately malnourished and 13,751 (1.2 percent) 
severely malnourished were referred to WFP/DPPB for Supplementary 
Feeding. Some 183,765 pregnant and nursing women have been screened as 
well during the exercise and 19 percent of them were referred for 
Supplementary Feeding within the criteria set by the national nutrition 
protocol. A re-screening has been recommended for some areas where the 
screening coverage has been too low. A UNICEF/DPPB team, with the 
participation of zonal line bureaus and WFP field monitors is currently 
assessing (8 - 12 March) the emerging critical spots in Boricha, 
Shebedino and Dale woredas os Sidama zone; Humbo, Damot Weyde and Ofa 
woredas of Wolayta zone; Kamba, Zale, Uba and Debretsehay of Gamo Gofa 
zone. For more information contact: igetachew@unicef.org

GOAL CONDUCTS NUTRITIONAL SURVEY IN ABALA, AFAR REGION

Preliminary findings from a recent Goal/DPPC nutritional survey in Abala 
woreda, Afar Region indicate serious malnutrition amongst children. The 
Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) was 13.5 percent (confidence interval) 
with aggravating factors on children under the age of five. As a result 
the survey recommended the DPPC should undertake an assessment to revise 
the woreda's beneficiary numbers and the general ration distribution 
should continue. For more information contact: goal.ethio@telecom.net.et

NUMBER OF IDPS IN WEST HARARGHE STILL UNCLEAR

Confusion still persists on the number of IDPs in Doba woreda, West 
Hararghe with the district administration reporting 17,641 IDPs in the 
woreda. An OCHA mission accompanied by CARE field staff found no 
physical evidence of such massive displacements. More than 6,000 most 
affected IDPs have received food assistance and non-food items from the 
Government.

FOOD AID PIPELINE STATUS

In line with the Humanitarian Appeal for 2005, overall emergency food 
requirement for March total 2.9 million beneficiaries, while 3.1 million 
are expected to need food assistance by April. To date only 27 percent 
of annual requirement have been met. Confirmed resources can only cover 
part of March but WFP intends to use its new loan facility to cover the 
remaining requirements based on forecast contributions and utilising the 
Ethiopian emergency food security reserve. For more information contact: 
wfp.addisababa@wfp.org

CONCERN CONDUCTS NUTRITIONAL SURVEYS IN AMHARA AND SNNPR REGIONS

Findings from four separate nutritional surveys conducted by concern in 
Amhara and SNNP regions are now available. In December 2004, Concern 
conducted two nutritional surveys in Kalu and Dessie Zuria woredas, 
South Wollo of Amhara Region. According to the reports the food security 
situation and nutritional status for both woredas has improved compared 
to the same time last year.  However reports from Damot Woyde and Offa 
woredas of Wolayita Zone of SNNPR indicate deteriorating food security 
situations and increasing rate of Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM). As a 
result the team recommended close monitoring of food security situation 
and follow-up nutritional survey for all the four woredas.

For more information contact: Ethiopia.cd@concern.net

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Appropriate Donations for International Disaster/Humanitarian Needs
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Center for International                  web: www.cidi.org
     Disaster Information             listserv: www.cidi.org/listsub.htm
                                    guidelines: www.cidi.org/donate.htm
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -