Highlights
The ongoing El Niño-induced drought and saline intrusion emergency has adversely impacted the lives of two million people, including 520,000 children and a million women with shortage of water and food and now in need of humanitarian assistance in 18 most affected provinces. Reduced access to drinking water and water for other domestic uses exacerbated the prevalence of malnutrition and communicable diseases.
The Government-One UN Joint Emergency Response Plan (ERP) captured the multi-sector outstanding need for US$48.5 Million of which US$40.7 Million was the gap in April 2016.
UNCEF has received US$1.5 Million from CERF and US$2.5 Million from the Government of Japan to respond to WASH and Nutrition sectors.
Discussion with the line ministries and departments initiated to work out the modalities of implementation of emergency interventions. On 5th June, emergency Nutrition working group met. Emergency WASH working group meeting is scheduled to be held on 8th June with MARD and UNICEF as co-chairs. It is also planned to have two regional workshops with the participation of relevant partners from ten provinces to develop detailed plan of actions for each province by end June.
Situation Overview & Humanitarian Needs
The ongoing El Niño-induced drought and saline intrusion emergency has adversely impacted the lives of people in 52 of 64 provinces. In the most affected 18 provinces, 2 million people including 520,000 children and 1 million women, are in need of humanitarian assistance. Of the total 2 Million people affected, some 0.5 million live in the drought-affected South Central and Central Highlands Regions, and 1.5 million live in the Mekong Delta, where water shortages have been exacerbated by the saltwater intrusion.
Reduced water use for washing, ablution, and hand-washing, have already resulted in increased incidence of diarrhoea, dysentery, hand, foot and mouth disease, and skin diseases.
The poor access to water has also had an impact on children’s health, exacerbating the prevalence of malnutrition