HIGHLIGHTS
- According to official reports from the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH), 634 new cases and one death of AWD (CFR of 0.2%) have been reported from 5 regions and 1 city administration in epidemic week 39.
- The government and the humanitarian partners began mid-meher assessment on 28 September 2009, following the late start of meher rains and generally below normal rains across most of the country.
- Increase numbers of malnutrition cases continues to be reported in East and West Harerghe, Arsi and West Shewa zones of Oromiya and many parts of Somali region
GENERAL SITUATION
a) Political, social, security overview for the week
- The overall security situation in the country remained stable during this week. No major security incidents involving humanitarian staff members have been reported.
b) Main events of interest/ concern for health (displacements, conflicts, disease outbreaks, etc.)
Food security and malnutrition
- The meher rains (main rains in July – September, with harvest from November) started late by two to four weeks and have stopped early in most of the crop-producing areas, leading to poor crop establishment in many parts of the country. Unless rainfall continues well into October, crops may not reach maturity and this could become the lowest harvest season of the past six years.
- While findings of the ongoing mid-meher assessment may take a few weeks to analyse and publish, the present food security situation on ground already appears worrisome. The meher is the dominant rainy and harvest season, responsible for about 90% of national crop production – yet the prospects do not look good. To worsen the situation, the last belg (short rains January – March with harvest from July) season crop production was below normal, and as a result the last meher food stocks are presently running out. Subsequently the price of staple food is currently higher than normal, making households even more vulnerable to food shortages.
- Food security situation is particularly deteriorating in many parts of the Somali region, and in East and West Harerghe, Arsi and West Shewa zones of Oromiya region. In parts of southern Somali region, there are reports of some livestock deaths, increased and unusual human migrations from rural to urban areas and to Food Distribution Points, and critical water and pasture shortage. Also, following two consecutive poor belg/gu seasons in 2008, the pastoralists in the Somali region have not fully recovered the livestock.
- Meanwhile crops are already performing poorly or even drying up in several areas of eastern and southern Tigray, parts of eastern Amhara, many low lands of eastern Oromiya, the southern low -lying areas of SNNPR, and nearly the whole of Gambella. The prospect of harvest in these areas looks gloomy.
Acute watery Diarrhoea (AWD)
- According to official reports from the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH), 634 new cases and one death of AWD (CFR of 0.2%) have been reported from Afar, Amhara, Somali, Oromiya, and SNNP Regions and Addis Ababa city from 21 - 27 September 2009. The continuous movement of hundreds of thousands of pilgrims and migrant labourers to and from holy water sites and private farms are contributing to the spread of the disease. The re-opening of schools in mid-September also requires a special attention. Contingency plans have been developed by the FMOH, regional health bureaus and humanitarian partners to address the situation.
Influenza A H1N1update
- According to official reports from the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH), no new cases of Influenza A H1N1have been reported this week. The total confirmed cases in the country is still six.
