OCHA Situation Report No. 3
Ethiopia: Acute Watery Diarrhea (AWD)
19 September 2006


This report is based on information received from UN agencies, different 
taskforce meetings, and NGOs .

Situation

1. Last week 1,608 new AWD cases with 49 deaths (Case Fatality Rate 
(CFR) =3%) were reported across the country, bringing the total case 
number to 19,176 The total number does not include the cases from Somali 
Region. with 182 deaths. The outbreak has now spread to new woredas in 
Bale zone (Oromiya), Gamogofa zone (SNNPR) and in Liben zone (Somali). 
To date, 101 cases are reported with 12 deaths in Filtu woreda; however, 
there is no information on the cases and deaths in Dollo woreda.

2. To date, five regions (Oromiya, SNNPR, Amhara, Somali and Tigray), 
and one sub-city (Addis Ababa) have reported the outbreak. A total of 19 
zones and 56 woredas are affected by the outbreak.

3. No zero case is reported from earlier affected woredas. 
Internationally unacceptable Case Fatality Rates (CFR) - > 1% - are 
reported from Guji, E.Shewa, and Bale zones (Oromiya Region); Sidama, 
Hadiya, and Kembata Tembaro zones (in SNNPR); North Gonder zone (Amhara 
Region); and Addis Ababa.

National and International Response

4. A National Coordination Committee chaired by the State Minister of 
Health has been established and meets on weekly basis. All interested 
NGOs are welcome to attend as members of the meeting. The National 
Committee has four subcommittees, which include: 1) Advocacy 
Communication and Social Mobilization; 2) Environmental Health and 
Sanitation; 3) Surveillance, Information Exchange, Clinical management 
and laboratory investigation; and 4) Resource Mobilization. Recently, 
the first two subcommittees were merged for improved intervention.

5. The Ministry of Health (MoH), in collaboration with WHO, has 
allocated US$ 140,000 to the affected regions.

6. UNICEF has imported various antibiotics, 1 million sachets of ORS and 
400,000 ringer lactates. The items are in customs awaiting clearance.

7. The Ministry of Water Resources will deploy two teams in the northern 
and southern parts of the country to assess the situation and identify 
gaps.

Gaps in the response

8. The outbreak is still addressed as Acute Watery Diarrhoea (AWD), 
which has been confirmed in some affected areas to be caused by vibrio 
cholerae 01 sero type inaba.

9. Further major concerns are: a) the existing delay in a National 
Appeal; and b) the lack of awareness among the society.

Telephone: +41-22-917 12 34
Fax: +41-22-917 00 23
E-mail: ochagva@un.org

In case of emergency only: Tel.   +41-22-917 20 10

Desk Officer:
  Mlle Natacha Tolstoi
    Direct Tel. +41-22-917-1658
    E-mail: tolstoi@un.org
  Mr. Christophe Schmachtel
    Direct tel.: +41-22-917-1684
    E-mail: schmachtel@un.org

Press contact:
  GVA - Ms. Elizabeth Byrs, direct Tel. +41-22-917 26 53
  NYC - Ms. Stephanie Bunker, direct Tel. +1-917-367 51 26

OCHA Ethiopia
  Mr. Fidele Sarassoro,
    Humanitarian Coordinator
    direct Tel: +251-11-5514599
  Mr. Paul Hebert
    Head of Office
    E-mail: hebert@un.org
    direct Tel: +251-11-5513725

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