OCHA Situation Report
Ethiopia
22 August 2005


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

MALARIA CAMPAIGN BOOSTED BY SUPPORT FROM ECHO AND OTHER DONORS - 
EPIDEMIC FEARS REMAIN

Some of the localised malaria epidemics recently reported across 
Ethiopia are being brought under control using the new anti-malaria drug 
Artemisinin Combination Therapy (ACT)  for uncomplicated falciparum 
malaria. Over 2.8 million treatments of ACT have arrived in Ethiopia, 
thanks to emergency support from the European Commission Humanitarian 
Aid Office (ECHO), Global Fund for AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria 
(GFATM), Development Cooperation of Ireland and other donors through 
UNICEF and several NGOs. Assistance from ECHO has also provided support 
for management and coordination efforts, essential in correctly 
diagnosing malaria cases. Over 3 million additional ACT treatments are 
expected in October, funded by the GFATM. Over 3 million Insecticide 
Treated Nets (ITNs)  will also be imported into Ethiopia this season, 
the largest consignment of ITNs in Ethiopia's history, although a 
further 14 million are required to protect all Ethiopian families from 
malaria.  Plans are to have all the ITNs distributed to malaria affected 
households, some of which are in the epidemic affected areas. 
Meanwhile, Ethiopia's Federal Ministry of Health has reported new 
outbreaks in some additional districts. Should these isolated epidemics 
continue to expand in number and begin coalescing, there is a 
possibility of a major widespread epidemic during the September to 
December transmission season. Such an epidemic would also lead to rapid 
consumption of ACTs in 2005, unfortunately resulting in ACT shortages in 
2006.

For more information contact: igetachew@unicef.org & 
who-wro@et.afro.who.int

NEW DEVELOPMENTAL RELIEF INTERVENTION BY CCF / GAA IN FENTALE, EAST SHOA 
ZONE, OROMIYA REGION

Financed mainly by the German Ministry of Economic Cooperation, 
Christian Children's Fund (CCF) is starting a new intervention in 
Fentale District of Oromiya Region.  The targeted population of nearly 
3,000 households will utilise Cash-for-Work allocations especially for 
the construction and for the improvement of their own water supply and 
other rural infrastructures. The intervention is being coordinated with 
the Safety Net Programme on district and community level. In addition 
side activities of the project involve the allocation of drought 
resistant seeds (esp. triticale and sorghum), promotion of agro-forestry 
(permaculture), capacity building and HIV/AIDS.  The cash-for-work 
component assures an improved access of needy households to food as well 
as to productive assets and animals, which were partly lost during the 
last drought. The total volume of the intervention is US$ 210,000, being 
the 3rd phase. The coordination on district level also involves the 
Kereyou-Interest-Group, which supports the predominant ethnic group.

Contact: gaa.eth@ethionet.et

MR. AHTISAARI TO VISIT ADDIS ABABA

Mr. Martti Ahtisaari, Special Envoy of the United Nations 
Secretary-General for the Humanitarian Crisis in the Horn of Africa, 
arrives in Addis Ababa on 25 August for a four-day visit. This is his 
fifth visit to the country since his designation in June 2003. During 
his visit, Mr. Ahtisaari will focus on advocacy related to humanitarian 
concerns and follow up on the recommendations of the joint Evaluation of 
the Response to the 2002-2003 Emergency in Ethiopia, which he launched 
during his last visit in October 2004.  He will also advocate for longer 
term food security and livelihood issues. The Special Envoy will meet 
Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, government officials, humanitarian agencies 
and international donors' representatives. Before visiting Ethiopia Mr. 
Ahtisaari will visit Eritrea from 22-25 August 2005.

SEXUAL EXPLOITATION WORKSHOP

OCHA and UNICEF are holding a three day inter-agency training for focal 
points on sexual exploitation and abuse, and their partners at the ILRI 
compound from the 22-24 August. The workshop will focus on the roles and 
responsibilities of focal points and provide an increased understanding 
of contributing factors and consequences of the problem of sexual 
exploitation and abuse by UN and related personnel. It aims to ensure 
that focal points can confidently and proactively take measures to 
prevent and respond to the problem of sexual exploitation and abuse, 
including dealing with individual allegations from the moment of 
receiving a complaint to closure of a case. The training will also 
assist focal points to mobilise in-country networks and develop 
accompanying plans of action. A similar training will be held in Asmara.

For more information contact: ocha-eth@un.org

2005 POLIO ERADICATION GOAL MAY BE MISSED

The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that it might not achieve 
its goal of eradicating polio around the world by the end of this year. 
The agency says the Horn of Africa is among its greatest concerns 
because polio has spread to Eritrea and fears are growing that the 
disease might re-invade war-torn Somalia, where there are some difficult 
situations in detecting new cases.  The WHO's global polio eradication 
campaign is not going as well as it had hoped. Latest figures show that 
more than 1,000 children have been paralysed with polio since the 
beginning of 2005. This is double the number compared to the same period 
last year. Meanwhile a committee of experts that advises the polio 
eradication program will meet on 10 October to review the worldwide 
polio situation and will decide whether any modifications are needed. 
Polio exists in 24 countries, of which 18 are African countries that had 
been polio-free.

For more information contact: who-wro@et.afro.who.int

JAPAN DONATES ADDITIONAL US$ 3.6 ML TO FOOD

The Government of Japan donated US$ 3.6 million to the Ethiopian 
Government for covering emergency food aid needs on 12 August. Last week 
the belg assessment reported that emergency food aid need, totaling 
235,000 tonnes are fully covered for the remainder of the year. This 
amounts to an additional 165,000 tonnes to the 70,000 tonnes already 
considered for the August-December period in the Humanitarian Appeal.

For further information, please contact

UN OCHA -Ethiopia Tel: 251- 1- 44 41 86/251- 1- 44 41 62 Fax: 251- 1- 
511292 email: ocha-eth@un.org Website: www.ocha-eth.org

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