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Somalia

Monthly nutrition update for Somalia - Jul 2005

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OVERVIEW
Overall, areas with increased nutrition concern have encountered persistent insecurity, with resultant population displacement; recurrent natural disasters and hindrance to humanitarian assistance delivery. On the contrary, areas with good humanitarian access coupled by general improvement in food security indicators, stable health situation, relatively more diversified diets, and relative civil security had improvement in the nutrition situation, e.g. Nugaal valley, Sool plateau, and most parts of NE Somalia.

This update provides highlights of current areas of nutrition concern compared with typical malnutrition levels observed in Somalia following the 2005 post Gu assessment. Results of nutrition assessment in North East Somalia are also presented.

OVERALL NUTRITION ANALYSIS IN SOMALIA

FSAU regularly updates interpretation of the nutrition status trends as well as current nutrition situation in Somalia using data from nutrition surveys, rapid assessments, health facility, selective feeding centre, sentinel sites surveillance, dietary studies and information from field observations. In the month of July 2005, FSAU carried out the annual post Gu food security and nutrition assessments, where integrated analysis was conducted. Information generated from this assessment has been triangulated with data from the previously mentioned sources to provide an overview of current situation vis-à-vis the revised baseline or usual trends of nutrition situation observed in Somalia. The results are presented on Map 1: Nutrition status trends(1) and Map 2: Current nutrition situation(2).



Recent changes in nutrition situation in Somalia compared to April 2005 analysis (April 2005, Nutrition Update)

Most of the areas with increased nutrition concern have encountered persistent insecurity, with resultant population displacement and hindrance to humanitarian assistance delivery. On the contrary, areas with good humanitarian access coupled by favourable influencing factors had improvement in the nutrition situation, e.g. Nugaal valley, Sool plateau, parts of Galgadud Region and most parts of NE Somalia (June 2005, Nutrition Update).

The current nutrition situation map shows that malnutrition levels in Jubba Riverine, Bossaso IDPs, and northern Gedo (mainly Luuq District) are significantly above the usual range typically observed in these areas. The nutrition situation in Dusamareb and Adaado Districts of Galgadud Region; Tsunami affected areas of Dangorayo District in north-eastern Somalia (mainly destitute families in the surrounding towns); and IDP camps in Hargeisa, Hobyo and Abudwaq Districts remain areas of concern. Parts of Bakool Region (mainly Wajid, Rabdure, Elberde), parts of Bay Region and Northern Gedo are also hot spots with malnutrition levels above usual ranges for the areas.

Northern Gedo: Civil insecurity continues to impede humanitarian access to this chronically food insecure population. There is reduced milk availability due to reduction in pastures that has triggered camel movement towards Dinsor and the Juba Valley.

IDPs in major towns of Bossasso, Hargeisa and Kismayu: In the month of June, resettlement camps of IDPs in Bossasso were engulfed in huge fire leading to loss of shelter. In Kismayu, the poor status of the riverine communities in Jubbas greatly reduces the food sources of the IDP population. In general, limited income sources (at times attributed to social marginalisation), poor water and sanitation situation, and high disease incidences lead to heightened risks to malnutrition

Jubba valley Riverine: In addition to seasonal food insecurity in the Jubba riverine generally attributed to social marginalisation, inadequate food diversity and recurrent incidences of insecurity as well as impact of recent flooding, the Juba riverine population continue to be of concern.

Central Somalia: Access to adequate diets remains limited, though improving, in the conflict affected populations of Dusamareb, Adaado and Hobyo districts. However, both food security and nutrition indicators show an improving situation, though the positive gains continue to be jeopardized by the continuing civil insecurity. Humanitarian services delivery has not been successful in the whole of the Central Region due to insecurity. CARE -- Somalia has distributed maize and oil in some parts of Galgadud Region.

Bay and Bakool Regions: The recent security incidences which have caused displacement, into Bulduhunle village (Wajiid) and Dinsor and Qansaxdheere towns; and limited access by humanitarian agencies are likely to jeopardize the wellbeing of the population. Milk prices in Wajiid town, Huddur and Rabdure have more than doubled from 3,000Ssh to 8,00Ssh hence inaccessible to the poor households.

Sool plateau and parts of Haud of Togdheer: Currently, there are indications of improvement in nutrition situation (Taleex/Huddun nutrition survey, June 2005). However, such improvement is still precarious as it depends on temporary improvement in some short-term food security outcomes whose final impact are dependent on subsequent seasons as well as on the on-going interventions. For example, goat milk will soon dry up unless good onset of Deyr 2005 rains follows. The previous crises had also led to numerous pockets of destitute families in the areas whose recovery could even be much longer as most of them had lost virtually all their livelihood assets. The nutrition situation of these areas requires close monitoring.

Notes:

(1) The map represents the “usual” nutrition situation observed over time. It indicates the estimate of ranges within which malnutrition rates typically fall in Somalia. The map depicts that virtually the whole of Somalia has unacceptable levels of acute malnutrition of 5% or above, according to international standards and that some areas are consistently and substantially worse than others.

(2) The map presents the updated situation based on an interpretation of the latest available nutrition and related information. A shift of the nutrition situation from the “usual” ranges is portrayed.

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