Highlights
A Back to School campaign was launched in the presence of UNICEF Algeria’s Goodwill Ambassadors, as all UNICEF’s school tents have been erected allowing more than 4000 children to attend school in UNICEF’s temporary learning spaces;
Primary emergency health care is being provided in 17 UNICEF’s tents for temporary health centers;
The visibility of UNICEF’s emergency response was maximized thanks to a visit of UNICEF Algeria’s GWA to the refugee camps followed by a largely attended press conference;
UNICEF’s plan of action for light rehabilitation of damaged infrastructures has been validated by relevant authorities.
Situation Overview and Humanitarian Needs
As the humanitarian response is progressively implemented, basic needs start to be temporarily covered and life is progressively regaining a semblance of normality. However, basic services such as education and primary health care for children and women do not cover all affected individuals and they are provided in temporary structures (i.e. tents) which need to be progressively replaced with adequate and sustainable infrastructures
Health
UNICEF led the MOH damage assessment process of the most flood affected health centers and damaged hospitals, with a focus on maternity and pediatric wards, emergency and primary health care services, pharmacy and cold chain equipment. It was estimated that USD 500,000 is urgently required to rehabilitate those critical health infrastructure, with a priority focus on Dakhla camp, the camp most affected by the flood emergency.
Despite the resuming of emergency primary health care, diarrhea cases have been reported to be raising by health NGO partners across all flood affected camps.
Following the disaster, the MOH surveillance and information system has recorded an increase of 3,827 ARI and diarrhea cases (14% are under 5 children) at hospital, district and health centers levels in 4 out of 5 camps. The MOH noted that health data could not be consolidated and thus analyzed in the most affected camp in Dakhla given the scope of disaster and the disruption of services including surveillance systems. This increase in diarrhea emphasizes the need for UNICEF to continue to ensure vaccines supplies and immunization of young children.
Education
As damaged schools and kindergartens remain unusable, more than 70% of affected school-age children are attending schools in temporary learning spaces set-up and equipped by UNICEF. To maximize capacity, temporary learning spaces often function on a shift-basis, with up to 3 shifts per day.
UNICEF led the MOE damage assessment process for all flood affected schools and kindergartens, identifying a need of USD 1.4 million to rehabilitate the damaged infrastructures. Particularly, 30 schools and 27 kindergartens have been identified as needing rehabilitation and reconstruction.
Child Protection
The Ministry of Social Affairs is in a process to complete a comprehensive damage assessment of all flood affected centers for children with disabilitie4s, with support provided by the Sahrawi Red Crescent.