Key Issues
The concerted Government and partners effort in the acute watery diarrhea outbreak woredas (Moyale, Oromia and Somali regions) has reduced the number of new cases reported.
Large populations in eastern Ethiopia will experience significant food insecurity until at least March 2016.
The agriculture sector revised its El Niño Related Disaster Preparedness and Response Road Map for 2016.
Ethiopia is responding to an El Niño-caused drought emergency: The El Niño global climactic event has wreaked havoc on Ethiopia’s summer rains. This comes on the heels of failed spring rains, and has driven food insecurity, malnutrition and water shortages in affected areas of the country. A well-coordinated response is already underway and expanding rapidly, although the scale of the developing emergency exceeds resources available to date. Given the lead times necessary for the procurement of relief items, the Government and its international partners have called for early action to this slow onset natural disaster.
Planning and prioritization
Government and partners continue to respond to WaSH needs in affected areas
The population in drought-affected areas in Afar, Amhara, Oromia, SNNP, Somali and Tigray regions continue to suffer from water shortages. While the priority of the WaSH sector is on rehabilitating non-functional water supply systems, water treatment activities and hygiene promotion; water trucks are providing clean water to needy people where it is the last resort. In Oromia for example, the Regional Water Bureau allocated 57 million birr since October to support water trucking activities. At present, 37 trucks (of 51 trucks requested) are deployed in Arsi, Bale, East and West Hararge, East Shewa and West Arsi.
Response to the Acute Watery Diarrhea outbreaks - update
The Government transferred US$58,000 to the Oromia Regional Health Bureau for the acute watery diarrhea outbreak (AWD) response in Moyale woreda, Borena zone. Some 722 hand-dug wells and four rain-water harvesting ponds are being disinfected. Hygiene and sanitation campaigns are also being conducted. At least 60 health workers were trained on AWD case treatment and prevention.
In Moyale woreda of Liben zone, Somali region where an AWD outbreak was also reported, the Regional Health Bureau and partners continue to treat contaminated water sources and to conduct hygiene and sanitation campaigns. The concerted Government and partners effort in the outbreak woredas has reduced the number of new cases reported.