OCHA Situation Report
Burundi
28 March - 3 April 2005


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

HIGHLIGHTS

Inter agency health evaluation: with the support of three international
consultants, the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF are
conducting an inter agency health evaluation mission within the
framework of the implementation of the Common Humanitarian Strategy
(CHAP) and the needs assessment conducted in 2004. The mission aims at
taking stock of recommendations derived from the needs analysis,
determining the main actions with regard to main challenges in the
health sector in order to draw suggestions for further actions. To this
end, meetings were organized with various partners and field visits
conducted in 5 provinces (Ngozi, Muyinga, Kirundo, Karuzi and Gitega).
Significant ongoing process including UNDAF, the national health policy,
WHO country cooperation strategy (CCS) and the new malaria treatment
protocol will be taken into consideration.

ACTIVITIES

Food aid distribution update: the World Food Programme of the United
Nations has completed the distribution of the Seeds Protection Rations
(SPR)for the agricultural season 2005B.  A total of 1,396 Mt of food
assistance were distributed throughout the country. Despite targeting
problems encountered in some areas, provisional figures indicate that 6,
519 Mt of food were distributed to more than 159,000 families
countrywide.

In order to reduce emergency interventions and increase "Food for Work"
activities where possible, WFP has undertaken a revision of the
beneficiaries' caseload for targeted distributions on communal level.

Health: after nearly one-month strike (started on 7 March), nurses in
Burundi public health facilities resumed work on Friday 1 April
following the signing of an agreement between their unions and the
government. During the strike, the health structures (health centres and
hospitals) provided a minimum level of services including a variable
range of emergency services for consultations such as fever, diarrhoea,
births, trauma/bleeding and malnutrition. Though it remains difficult to
comment the strike impact on the health of the community, hospitals
noticed a dramatic decrease in occupancy rate whilst consultations at
the health centre level were reduced of almost 2/3.

Education: in collaboration with the communal administration authorities
of Butezi Commune in Ruyigi Province, UNICEF has completed the
rehabilitation of 4 classrooms, which will allow the schooling of 240
children in refurbished infrastructure. In Mutimbuzi Commune (Bujumbura
Rural) the War Affected National Commission has constructed a primary
school to support child schooling in Rukaramu Zone.

Water and sanitation in Bujumbura Rural: humanitarian NGO Solidarites
continues with water supply activities in Kanyosha, Isale, Nyabiraba,
Mutambu, Muhuta and Mugongomanga communes. In parallel, sanitation
activities are underway in six (6) health centres in Mutimbuzi,
Kanyosha, Kabezi, Mugongomanga, Mubimbi and Isale communes.

Refugee returns: As of 31 March, UNHCR reports 7,860 facilitated and 769
spontaneous returnees. Total: 8,629 returnees.

Habitat: UNHCR and its partners continue the identification of programme
beneficiaries including returnees. In parallel, the Dutch government
supported project for the reinsertion of war-affected persons (GTZ/APRS)
has validated the list of war affected persons who will be benefit from
the 1000 houses to be built under the Habitat programme.

Food security: during the reporting week, the FAO/Emergency Coordination
Unit (ECU) assisted vulnerable regrouped in associations with seeds
(vegetable seeds), agricultural tools and chemical fertilizers. Targeted
provinces included Bujumbura rural, Bujumbura Town, Bubanza, and Mwaro.
With regard to support programme in school gardens, vegetable seeds,
fruit seedlings were distributed to 42 schools in Karuzi and 14 schools
in Makamba through international NGO, World Vision and Adventist
Development and Relief Agency (ADRA). Refugees and displaced persons
returning to their collines of origin in Kirundo, Makamba and Bujumbura
Rural provinces also received fruit seedlings.

Through its multiplication programme aiming at overall availability of
quality seeds, with the specific objective of increasing potatoes rich
in B-carotene, FAO/ECU has finalised the setting up of multiplication
centres of sweet potatoes in the Bujumbura Town outer skirts, Bururi,
Cankuzo, Cibitoke, Makamba and Muramvya provinces. The produced
seedlings will be distributed during the agricultural seasons 2005C and
2006A. The multiplication of cassava varieties resistant to the mosaic
disease was also finalized in Cibitoke Province on 6.8 hectares. A joint
FAO/WFP team concluded a field rapid evaluation of the impact of the
seeds and seeds protection rations (SPR) for season 2005B in Makamba,
Gitega, Muramvya, Ruyigi, Cankuzo, Kirundo, Muyinga, Ngozi, Kayanza and
Karuzi.

SECURITY AND ACCESS

Bujumbura Rural: during the reporting week, overnight displacement of
the population was reported in the communes of Kabezi (27 March),
Mutambu (29 March), Mubimbi (29 March) and Isale (27 March) due to
alleged FNL attacks/ambush and exactions on civilians blamed of having
collaborated with the new National Defence Force (FDN). Looting was also
reported in several families. Administration sources reported
significant FNL incursions in Isale and Mubimbi communes from Kanyosha
and Nyabiraba communes.

COORDINATION

HIV/AIDS expanded thematic group: the mid-term review of the 2002-2006
HIV/AIDS action plan was presented during the last thematic group held
on Thursday 31 March. The review focussed on reached progress and
recommendations aiming improvement of performances in the action plan
implementation. Achievements include 3,900 persons living with AIDS
(PLWA) who are under anti retro viral treatment (ARV) in 2004, training
in ARV prescription of 112 doctors and 23 functional ARV treatment
centres. However, the action plan was hampered by medical stock shortage
and persistent insecurity in some provinces.

Ruyigi: on 29 March, OCHA sub-office and the provincial coordinator of
the promotion of health and sanitation visited the IDP site of Kabuyenge
(Gisuru Commune) in order to identify hygiene/sanitation issues. This
will lead to a good planning of activities aiming at the improvement of
health situation for IDPs.

Ngozi: the provincial coordination meeting was held on 29 March under
the chairmanship of senior provincial adviser. Participants included
provincial and communal administration authorities, OCHA, WFP, ICRC,
national and international organizations. For effective coordination,
participants agreed on the need to set up sector group meetings to be
chaired by lead NGOs, which will be appointed in collaboration with
OCHA.

Contact Group meeting: held on 30 March. OCHA presented the preliminary
results of the IDP (internally displaced persons) data update survey
covering the first phase, which included Burundi's southern and eastern
provinces. The results of the current survey - which has been planned in
three phases - will allow a better integration of the IDP issue in the
humanitarian programming. It will also give way to a better
understanding of the situation of returnees and displaced persons in
sites. Analysis of these results will be fully integrated in the
mid-year review of the humanitarian strategy scheduled in May.

For Information

Adelaide Haboniman
Assistant Information Office
PH: (257) 910 196
E-mail: habonimanaa@un.org

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