OCHA Situation Report
Ethiopia
13 February 2005


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

DROUGHT UPDATE-SOMALI REGION AND BORENA ZONE, OROMIYA REGION The Somali 
Regional Disaster Prevention Preparedness and Food Security Bureau in 
its monthly food security update (January) reports that the overall food 
security situation in the region is aggravated by the progressing jillal 
or dry season. After the failure of the deyr rains the situation in the 
region has been worrying exposing 1.5 million people to emergency relief 
assistance.  According to the report the peoples' coping/distress 
strategies are stretched to their limit with increased begging in the 
streets of main towns, over-selling of basic assets, slaughtering of 
weak animals and killing of calves and closure of local schools 
following decreased/failed attendance. Given that the worst time of the 
jilaal is yet to come and no rain is expected before April, the current 
situation is expected to worsen further into emergency. Water shortage 
has reached critical levels with 640,000 people requiring emergency 
water interventions.  Meanwhile, after conducting a drought assessment, 
the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) began airlifting 
water storage tanks and medical kits to the most affected areas 
including Bare woreda in Afder zone, along the Wabi Shebelle River in 
the Gode zone and further north in Denan, Gerbo and Segeg. ICRC reports 
that the migration patterns are more chaotic than normal, caused by the 
difficulty to find substantial pasture.  However, there is huge 
concentration of livestock along the Wabi Shebelle River. In addition, 
the assessment found pockets of vulnerable communities in East Imi that 
had been cut off from their livelihoods and assistance by an inter-clan 
conflict.

Preliminary results of nutrition surveys in Dolo Odo (Liben zone), 
Dolobay (Afder zone)  and Denan (Gode zone) woredas reveal critical 
malnutrition. 20.1% GAM and a 1.6% SAM for Dolo Odo and Dolobay was 
recorded and a 23.5% GAM and a 2.9% SAM was recorded for Denan. The 
under five mortality rates are estimated at 2.40 and 6.69 
deaths/10000/day for Dolo Odo and Dolobay and Denan woredas 
respectively.  The situation is critical with diarrhea being the main 
cause of death for children under five. The overall health service is 
poor in all the woredas. Measles vaccination coverage is very low 
particularly in Denan where eight deaths have been reported. The surveys 
recommend complete and timely food distributions and implementation of 
OTP/TFP programmes in all the three woredas. The nutrition survey in 
Dolobay and Dolo Odo was conducted for the agro-pastoral areas and 
another survey is planned for the pastoralists. Save the Children UK and 
USA, in collaboration with the regional Disaster Prevention and 
Preparedness and Food Security Bureau, conducted the survey in Dolobay 
and Dolo Odo from 19-23 January.  GOAL conducted the nutrition survey in 
Denan from 21-26 January.

Similarly in Borena zone, Oromiya Region the humanitarian situation 
continues to deteriorate with reports of serious malnutrition. CARE in 
collaboration with the government conducted nutritional surveys in Dire, 
Teltele, and Moyale woredas in Borena zone from 18 January - 2 February 
2006. Preliminary results of the surveys show the prevalence of 10% GAM 
and 1.1% SAM in Dire; 10.9% GAM and 1% SAM in Moyale; and 6.1% GAM and 
0.3% SAM in Teltele woredas.  Meanwhile, in response to the 13 
meningitis cases reported in Teltele, the woreda's health offices have 
started providing meningitis vaccination for more than 43,300 people. 
The survey recommends the need to amend ration distributions that are 
not currently based on family size. It also indicates that the number of 
beneficiaries in the zone could double in the next two months from the 
number estimated in November 2005 by the multi-agency assessment team.

The Disaster Preparedness and Prevention Agency (DPPA)  is currently 
transporting January food allocation for the 1.5 million beneficiaries 
in Somali Region and for the 155,000 beneficiaries in Borena zone. Food 
dispatches during January and early February have not been as fast as 
planned due to a temporary shortage of trucks; however, the availability 
of transport is currently improving with full deployment of the 
Ethiopian Relief Transport Enterprise (the strategic truck fleet of the 
government's DPPA). In addition to the full food basket of cereals, 
pulses and vegetable oil, WFP is providing fortified blended food for 
35% of the beneficiaries considered to be particularly vulnerable. For 
further information contact: ocha-eth@un.org

EMERGENCY RELIEF DISTRIBUTION UNDERWAY IN BERHALE WOREDA, AFAR REGION

GOAL, in collaboration with the Afar Regional DPPB, will commence a 
three-month targeted supplementary food distribution for approximately 
16,000 beneficiaries in Berhale woreda of zone 2 at the end of this 
month. This is in response to the critical malnutrition, which revealed 
a 19% GAM and a 2% SAM in October 2005.  The finding was also confirmed 
by the multi-agency pre-harvest assessment mission in November 2005. For 
further information contact: santiagoc@goalethiopia.com

NEW CHILDHOOD VACCINES IN THE COUNTRY

The World Health Organisation (WHO) recently reported that in July 2006 
life saving vaccines against hepatitis B (Hep B) and Haemophilus 
influenzae type b (Hib) will be included in the routine childhood 
vaccination series. The vaccines prevent acute viral hepatitis, chronic 
viral hepatitis, liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (liver 
cancer) and Hib, which are serious threats to Ethiopian children. 
Despite high prevalence of these vaccine preventable diseases, Ethiopian 
children have not had access to these important vaccines. The 
combination of these vaccines, along with the routine vaccination 
series, is provided to children that are less than one year old. WHO 
also reported that there is adequate capacity to accommodate the new 
vaccines at federal and regional levels.  For further information 
contact: who-wro@et.afro.who.int

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