Highlights
· The humanitarian situation in Diffa continues to be of concern and heavily impacted by the consequences of the situation in Nigeria, even if no major security incidents have been reported.
· In Diffa region, UNICEF continues to strengthen its interventions in collaboration with its partners. As of August and since the beginning of the year, a total 12,609 children under five suffering from Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) have received medical treatment; 8,565 displaced people and host communities have benefited from the construction of 437 emergency latrines, thus reducing their vulnerability to feco - oral diseases; 130,394 affected populations have been sensitized on hygiene promotion and have received hygiene kits; and 13,079 affected children have benefitted of psychosocial and recreational activities.
· In August Niger has been hit by heavy rains, causing floods which have severely affected over 50,000 people in 8 regions. UNICEF, in coordination with the Non-Food Items (NFI) Working Group and the Cellule de Coordination Humanitaire (CCH) of the Prime Minister’s Office, has provided NFI kits (plastic sheeting, blanket, mat, mosquito net, soap, bucket), to reduce the vulnerability of over 14,000 people. Preparations are on the way to assist an additional 6,500.
· As of 31st of July 2015 (week 26), 182,054 severely acute malnourished children have been admitted in therapeutic feeding centres nationwide since the beginning of the year (out of a total of 368,114 cases expected during the year).
· UNICEF Humanitarian response remains underfunded. This may hamper UNICEF’s capacity to meet the needs of the expected 368,114 severely malnourished children (the height of the lean season is still ahead of us), as well as the 102,526 children displaced in Diffa region (IDPs, returnees and refugees from Nigeria).