Highlights
• 75,842 South Sudanese refugees have now arrived in Uganda since 1 July 2016, with 64 per cent comprising children. 84 per cent of the arrivals are women and children.
• UNHCR and OPM report that Kiryandongo settlement has reached maximum capacity. The settlement will stop receiving new refugees as of next week when the reception centre will be closed. At Bidibidi, over 6,147 refugees have been settled since its opening about one week ago. Refugees continue to be transferred from Adjumani to Yumbe Districts by OPM and UNHCR. Congestion of refugees still pose multiple public health risks.
• Children and women of child bearing age have been immunized against Polio (17,357 children 0-5 years), Measles (20,507 children 6 months - 14 years) and Tetanus (1,032 women).
• 8,862 children under five have now been screened for malnutrition; 3.8 per cent are malnourished while 2.0 per cent are severely malnourished. All malnourished children have been referred for appropriate treatment.
• Cholera (Diarrhoeal Disease Set Packing) and an inter-agency health care kit prepositioned for disease outbreak response in Adjumani District can cover 10,000 people.
• 33,622 children are receiving psychosocial support at child friendly spaces near refugee reception centres.
• 14 water tanks (10,000 litre capacity) have been installed to provide safe water to over 14,00o people in the new Bidibidi settlement.
• New arrivals continue to require service provision in basic Health, WASH, Protection and Nutrition.
Situation Overview and Humanitarian Needs
According to UNHCR and OPM, an estimated 84 per cent of the new arrivals after 1 July 2016 are women and children, with 64 per cent being children. UNICEF and other partners are conducting sectoral assessments to plan further interventions.
UNHCR and OPM report that Kiryandongo settlement has reached maximum capacity. The settlement will stop receiving new refugees as of next week when the reception centre will be closed. At Bidibidi, over 6,147 refugees have been transferred from Adjumani to Yumbe District by OPM and UNHCR. Congestion of refugees still pose multiple public health risks.
Given the high influx, the South Sudanese Regional Refugee Response Plan (RRP) will be revised for Uganda.
Needs
Child Protection partners continue to coordinate services in order to protect boys and girls from violence, abuse and exploitation in reception, transit sites and settlements. Gaps still remain in the provision of psychosocial support services, especially at collection and reception centers, and on-the-job training for humanitarian workers on child Protection Minimum Standards in humanitarian action. Post joint assessment on child protection, partners are working to improve the current registration process of unaccompanied and separated children, by having a more efficient verification and best interest determination process that enables access to appropriate services. A concern during the decongestion of the reception areas is secondary family separation. Additional child friendly spaces are required given the overwhelming number of children. Awareness on protection services needs to be scaled up.
Response on health and nutrition by government and partners includes a package of Nutrition services such as Vitamin A supplementation and nutrition screening of all under five newcomers. Other services provided are deworming of all 1-14 year old children and adults, severe acute malnutrition treatment under in and outpatient therapeutic centres as well as maternal, infant and young child feeding counselling at health facilities (health centres or outreach posts).
WHO has confirmed cholera cases among the South Sudanese refugees in Adjumani District. Partners engaged in water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) promotion as well as provision of health care services are coordinating to facilitate support to District health services’ surveillance, prevention and control of Cholera. Medical Teams International, UNHCR, WHO are providing input into the District Health Office’s review of preparedness plans and immediate containment interventions. With respect to case management, an isolation facility has been identified and partners are supporting surge arrangements for additional District Health staff to engage in case management.
Cholera line list has 16 suspected cases with one confirmed case on culture and sensitivity. Health partners in Rhino camp have also alerted of suspected Measles cases and investigations are underway. In Kiryandongo, the Ministry of Health has confirmed cases of Hepatitis B (07) and Tuberculosis (03).
The inter agency assessment on Education confirmed gaps in early childhood development facilities, as well as community based institutions. Classrooms, supplies, as well as teachers with orientation on refugee education, are very limited, for both primary and secondary education, and for accelerated learning are limited. Teachers’ accommodation and WASH facilities for pupils and teachers is a challenge. Upcoming schools will require instructional and scholastic material. There is need for teacher recruitment and capacity strengthening to support learning of refugee children, learning spaces, desks, latrine stances for children and teachers, recreation kits, school in a box and replenishment kits among others.