Liberia - DHA-80: 3-19.Jul.97
Liberia - DHA-80: 3-19.Jul.97
UN-DHA/HACO
Liberia
Humanitarian Situation Report No. 80
Covering the Period 3-19 July 1997
The information contained in this report was provided by the Office of the
United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator in Liberia
HIGHLIGHTS
Elections: Liberians went to the polls on 19 July without incident.
FOOD AND NUTRITION
Food Distributions:
In response to a WFP/UNHCR request, WVI continued distributions in Cape Mount
(Damballa, Bendaja and Bamballa), where 17,761 MTS of commodities were
distributed to 3,967 beneficiaries. WVI also distributed 20,850 MTS of
WFP-supplied bulgur wheat to targeted farms in Grand Gedeh. Commencing the
July food distribution to displaced centres, the LNRCS distributed 369 MTS of
WFP-provided bulgur wheat, wheat flour and vegetable oil to 56,150 IDPs at 11
LNRCS-managed camps in Montserrado. The LNRCS also verified beneficiary
numbers at its Po River area camps. CRS has completed the first phase of an
emergency food distribution in Lofa (Salayea and Zorzor). During t he
reporting period, CRS dispatched and distributed 1,130 MTS of Title II Food
Commodities to 119,174 beneficiaries in areas of CRS operation.
Malnutrition:
ACF operates therapeutic and supplementary feeding centres in four counties.
Overall caseloads for the period 29 June through 5 July 1997 for the
therapeutic and supplementary feeding centres were as follows: Montserrado,
2,681; Bong, 904 ; River Cess, 59; and Grand Bassa, 459.
AGRICULTURE
Continuing Activities include: further development of the National Master
Plan for Reintegration in Agriculture and the Special Programme for Food
Security, through a series of Ministry of Agriculture-convened and
FAO-sponsored meetings of concerned Ministries, NGOs and donors. A
restructuring of the Agricultural Coordination Committee (ACC) which will now
meet twice monthly - first on policy issues and then one technical matters.
FAO, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, continues to assess
the impact of distribution of basic farming inputs. Initial findings are
positive. Improved security has resulted in an increase of cultivated
surface. October rice production, still insufficient to cover the country's's
needs, will be up from 1996. The continuation by CRS of the Farm Belt,
Village Seed Bank and Tree Crop rehabilitation project in Bong and Nimba; and
the swamp development project in Bong Nimba and Lofa under the CARITAS
programme. Repair of the Gbedin seed multiplication site by CRS.
Implementation of the joint CRS/UNOPS swamp development project around
Monrovia. The conclusion, by CRS, of the distribution of seed rice and tools
to farmers in Bong, Nimba and Lofa Counties. In addition, CRS reports that
most seeds distributed to NGOs have been planted, with a total of 2,700 MTS
of seed rice being distributed. CRS's CPU food security distribution
activities saw distribution of food rations to 43,410 beneficiaries in Todee
district of Montserrado county on 11 July, similar activities were also
completed in Fuamah District and the Bong Mines area of Margibi county. The
food security distribution process is near completion in Grand Bassa and
Rivercess counties. WVI continued its ongoing activities in Montserrado,
Cape Mount, Grand Gedeh, Nimba and Bong. Activities included distribution of
seed rice and hand tools; the transplanting of numerous plots; identification
of farms for demonstration and crops multiplication; and irrigation and
drainage work. Distribution by Africare of 200 plantain suckers to 200
farmers in Margibi - one sucker each to intercrop ricefields. Plantain
suckers are being obtained for farmers in Grand Bassa and Margibi counties
also. Africare is also raising breadfruit seedlings in four nurseries in
Grand Bassa and two in Margibi, for distribution to farmers to be used as
food security crops.
SHELTER AND RESETTLEMENT
Ongoing Activities: rehabilitation of IDP shelter units of IDPs in Dixville
and Tewor by the LNRCS. Distributions included: LNRCS distribution, in
collaboration with the Bomi Chapter of the Red Cross, of non-food items to
vulnerable groups (returnees, lactating women, children and the elderly) in
Tubmanburg and major towns on the Bomi-Monrovia highway and the towns leading
to the Lofa River. Distribution in Sinoe by CRS, of clothes donated b y the
people of Ireland.
New Activities: Construction by the LNRCS and the IFRC of three large transit
centres in Tiene and Damballa in response to the flow of Sierra Leone
refugees and Liberian IDPs fleeing the conflict in the Bo-Waterside area.
LNRCS is also distributing non- food items to this same caseload. UNHCR, with
support from the LNRCS, will also establish an emergency transit centre in
Sinje.
HEALTH
New Services/Programmes included: A number of relief organisations are active
in responding to the health needs of recently displaced populations in Cape
Mount, including OXFAM and the LNRCS. Health education activities include: a
joint MERLIN, IRC, WVI Health Training Workshop at Tappita Hospital on 26-28
June, attended by 57 Ministry of Health staff, covering cold chain
management, rational drug use/case management, treatment protocol for
malaria, ARI and diarrhoeal diseases and other issues. WHO in collaboration
with the Ministry of Health, is conducting a two-month capacity-building
workshop for Ministry of Health programme managers, which will cover such
areas as programme planning, financial management, information management and
report writing. WHO also sponsored a workshop on aid negotiation in Abuja,
the four member Liberia delegation included representatives from WHO, the
Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Planning. The LNRCS's CBFA completed
its 10-day workshop in Gbarnga.
Continuing Activities include: support of PHC by MERLIN at health centres in
Upper Lofa (Voinjama Hospital OPD, Foya Hospital OPD and Bolahun Clinic) and
Nimba (Tappita Hospital OPD, Graie Clinic and Sanniquellie OPD), including
EPI, MCH, TBA, curative training and community outreach. Treatment of 1,123
patients at two WVI health centres and seven WVI clinics.
Other Support includes: provision by UNICEF of EPI cold chain to WVI clinics
in Tappita and Zwedru. Continued provision of ambulance services by the
LNRCS and MSF- I. Provision by UNICEF of considerable material support to
County Health Teams (including, in Lofa, two motorcycles, nine basic health
kits; stationery in Margibi; and a temporary office in Grand Bassa).
ROADS AND BRIDGES
CONCERN began excavation of drainage ditches on the Coleman Hill to Beajah
(Bomi county) road on 9 July on a Food for Work basis, with WFP-provided
food. This activity is in preparation for the reconstruction of a bridge at
Beajah. It is anticipated that this project will be completed by end July and
that work on the bridge proper will begin on 28 July. CRS continues road and
bridge repair in Nimba and Bong, arrangements are now completed for the
beginning of another access roads and bridge project in Salayea district,
Lofa county. CRS partners LECO and ZADC continue work on the Gbarnga-Kokoyah
highway and the Palala-Zoweinta road and a bridge rehabilitation project in
Nimba, respectively.
WATER AND SANITATION
Well, pump and latrine, activities: In consultation with the Ministry of
Planning and Economic Affairs and the Ministry of Rural Development, UN
Agencies, national and international NGOs continue to build, install and
chlorinate wells and pumps as well as build and desludge latrines in
communities and IDP camps throughout the country. They include: UNICEF, HOPE,
LUSH, Lifewater Liberia, the Water and Environmental Sanitation Agency, Water
and Sanitation Inc., MUSH, Tear Fund, OXFAM, ACF and LNRCS
New Activities: the sinking of a well by Tear Fund in Sucromo. Garbage
collection activities included: Collection and disposal of a total of 1,993
cubic yards of garbage by the Monrovia and environs UNICEF/UNOPS/Save the
Children UK/MCC garbage Collection Project.
Educational Activities included: Tear Fund and WATSAN staff participated in a
health educators workshop in Gbarnga. UNICEF, through support to COHDA,
conducted a one-day training workshop on community organisation and health
education for shelter animators. Children and educational activities
involving ex-combatants and war-affected youth included: the UNICEF / Don
Bosco Home Youth centre has been established in Kakata where 125 youths have
enrolled in agriculture, arts and crafts and soap making courses. Tracing and
family reunification activities continue for 48 ex-child fighters at the
Kakata Transit Home. UNICEF/LOIC training sites continue to train 248 youths
in a range of vocational activities. WFP will provide the food for the
Centre in Ganta. UNICEF will support the project with a vehicle. The WAYS
Project and COHDA had its first graduation - of 107 youths (14 female, 93
male) - who completed training in black smithing, agriculture, metal works,
hand pump maintenance and community sanitation. Distribution of school
supplies included: UNICEF, LWS and PMU Inter-Life are finalizing plans for
the distribution of educational materials in Bong, Montserrado, Margibi,
Grand Bassa, Lofa and Nimba. Memorandums of Understanding between UNICEF and
distributing NGOs (including CREDO) have been signed. Rehabilitation of
schools included: the initiation of replacement, through a CONCERN project,
of the roof on St. Stephen's School, Goya Hill, in conjunction with WFP.
Replacement should take three weeks. Rehabilitation by Tear Fund of the
schools at Sucromo and Kpaiyea. Tear Fund has also commenced work on the
schools at Yarpuah and Gbonyea, both of which are due to be completed by 8
August. Schools at Gorlu and Gbanglota will also be refurbished after
elections. Other: the UNICEF/Ministry of Education initiative to reprint the
education curriculum us 25 percent complete. It is foreseen that the project
will be complete by end July 1997. Steps are being taken to restructure the
education sub-committee meeting to better allow it to focus on revitalization
and improvement of primary education by addressing substantive rather than
procedural issues.
Public Affairs and Advocacy New Initiatives: UNDP has begun distributing,
free of charge, "wind-up" radios in displaced camps and rural communities.
The radios require no batteries and are meant to buttress civic education
efforts. UNDHA-HACO activities include: issuance of a press releases
commemorating World Populations Day on 11 July and updating humanitarian
activities of UN Agencies and NGOs operating outside Monrovia. The Liberian
Humanitarian Community Radio Report continues to be broadcast twice daily,
five days a week on the national radio, ELBC.
This report is available on the internet through RELIEFWEB:
http://www.reliefweb.int
Mr. Tesema Negash
UN Humanitarian Coordinator - Monrovia
Tel.: (231) 226 041/042
Fax: (874) 175 46 27 (sat.)
Inter-Agency Support Branch (IASB) Geneva
Mr. David Bassiouni - Chief
Mr. Chris Kaye
Tel.: (41 22) 788.6385
Fax: (41 22) 788.6389
Registry E-Mail:
Rosemary.Addo-Yirenkyi@dha.unicc.org
Complex Emergencies Division (CED) New York
Mr. Peter Due
Tel.: (1 212) 963.1731
Fax: (1 212) 963.3630
E-Mail: due@un.org
Press to contact (DHA-Geneva)
Ms. Madeleine Moulin-Acevedo
Tel.: (41 22) 917.2856
Fax: (41 22) 917.0023
Telex: 414242 DHA CH
E-Mail: Moulin-Acevedo@dha.unicc.org
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