Key Issues
Scaled-up response required to curb the ongoing acute watery diarrhea (AWD) outbreak in Oromia, Somali and SNNP regions.
The National Disaster Risk Management Commission (NDRMC) alerting regions and the community on possible disasters following heavy k iremt rains
Rain breaks over the last two weeks eased food dispatches.
Ethiopia is responding to an El Niño-caused drought emergency: The El Niño global climatic event wreaked havoc on Ethiopia’s 2015 spring and summer rains driving food insecurity, malnutrition and water shortages in affected areas of the country. A wellcoordinated response is underway, although the scale of the emergency exceeds resources available. Given the lead times necessary for the procurement of relief items, the Government and its international partners urge immediate and sustained support for this slow onset natural disaster
Scaled-up response required to curb the ongoing acute watery diarrhea(AWD) outbreak in Oromia, Somali and SNNP regions
With the rains filling ponds and surface water sources, there is a potential spread of the acute watery diarrhoea (AWD) outbreak. Households in affected communities using water from unprotected sources to meet their personal and household water needs are at high risk for water-borne diseases, including AWD. At least 1,884 AWD cases and 19 deaths were reported in 26 woredas across Oromia, Somali and SNNP regions since December 2015. About 67 per cent of the cases are people 15 years and older, and 51 per cent of those affected are male. A total of 686 cases and 12 deaths occurred in 17 in four zones of Oromia, 793 cases and two deaths in two zones of Somali region, and 405 cases and two deaths in two zones of SNNPR. At present, the outbreak is ongoing in six zones of Oromia and Somali regions, according to World Health Organization (WHO). The AWD outbreak in SNNP region is reportedly declared over, based on zero casesreported for more than six weeks. Dolo Bay woreda in Somali region is the newest area affected These ongoing outbreaks require active and sustained attention due to its prolongation and spread to additional woredas.
Separately, WHO reported 4,350 suspected measles cases since the beginning of the year. 3,594 of the the cases were confirmed by either laboratory, epidemiological-linkage or clinical compatibility. A total of 22 suspected yellow fever cases and five deaths were reported from South Omo zone in the SNNP region. Samples will be sent to a WHO accredited reference laboratory for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) confirmatory testing.
WHO and health partners are supporting the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) to respond to disease outbreaks and treat severe acute malnutrition (SAM)through the deployement of health professionals to affected areas to boost capacity; conducting joint health promotion activities with the WASH Cluster and strengthening coordination
NDRMC alerting regions and the community on possible disasters due to heavy kiremt rains
Following a forecast by the National Meteorological Agency (NMA) indicating that most of the kiremt benefiting areas of the country may likely receive normal to above normal rainfall due to the onset of La Niña, the National Disaster Risk Management Commission (NDRMC) is alerting regional governments and the community at large to take precautions before the onset of the rainy season.
NDRMC has thus far notified all the regional governments, through official letters, to take early risk minimizing and preventive measures, including relocating people from areas heavily affected by flood and mudslides. The Commission is also providing information through local and international media to alert the nation about the possible disasters heavy kiremt rains can spell to at-risk communities. The federal and regional flood taskforce is playing crucial role in identifying the most likely flood and mudslide at-risk areas and channelling the information to NDRMC.
Rain breaks over the last two weeks eased food dispatches
Data from March to April from the World Food Programme (WFP) reported increased dispatch rates during the two week break in rains. WFP is taking several operational measures to further increase dispatch and distribution ratesin this opportune moment. Accordingly, round two of the emergency relief programme is complete, round three is ongoing, and round four is ramping up.
Following the storage augmentation plan, and following several field assessments, the Logistics Cluster has begun the deployment of 120 Mobile Storage Units (MSUs) requested by NDRMC and the Joint Emergency Operation Program (JEOP) NGO consortium/CRS.
For further information please contact: ocha-eth@un.org