Special Focus: Efforts to Reduce Child Mortality Through Nutrition Interventions in Somalia
Overview
Urban assessment: In October 2009, FSNAU conducted the quarterly urban nutrition and food security assessment in the main regional towns throughout Somalia. Findings on the food security situation indicate that the urban households' access to food has begun to improve in most areas, with the exception of Central regions. Urban households in the south, the north and northwest are able to cover the cost of the Minimum Expenditure Basket (CMB); however, poor households are still reliant on remittances, cash gifts or loans to cover between 20-25% of this minimum expenditure basket. In central regions, in contrast, a deterioration was reported, mainly caused by increased prices of cereals, subsequent increased cost of the minimum expenditure basket and reduced social support in these regions. For more details, see the Food Security & Nutrition Brief, Oct '09 at http://www.fsnau.org/fileadmin/uploads/1607.pdf A nutrition component assessing MUAC (mid upper arm circumference) and coping strategies also indicates sustained stress in poor households in the south, with many continuing to report distress coping strategies such as reducing meal frequency.
Treatment of Acute Malnutrition: The latest figures from centres treating severely and moderately acutely malnourished children in South and Central Somalia report a varied picture with many locations reportedly seeing increasing trends of admissions in recent months. This is of particular note in Central, Bakool and Shabelle regions, where INGO are reporting continuing high numbers of severely malnourished children. This is of great concern in the current climate, where funding shortages could significantly decrease the access to life saving services such as food aid, selective feeding programs, child health days and protected water, for these children in the coming months. Such interruptions in the delivery of these life saving interventions, therefore, is likely to increase the associated mortality of severe acute malnutrition. The situation will continue to be monitored and reported through the representative surveys and the selective feeding centre statistics.
Nutrition Assessment Schedule: The FSNAU, in collaboration with partners, is conducting 23 nutrition assessments from October – December 2009, to review the nutrition situation in the vulnerable population groups. Nineteen of these are targeting rural livelihoods; two are targeting IDPs while the other two are region based. Surveys have just concluded in the central regions (Hawd and Addun pastoral livelihood zones, Galgadud and Mudug regions), Hiran (pastoralists, agropastoralists and riverine livelihood zones), and Togdheer (pastoralists and agropastoralists). Findings from these and other scheduled surveys will be disseminated through the regular interagency coordination meetings, the bimonthly nutrition updates and the FSNAU website, http://www.fsnau.org.
Health Events in Somalia (Key highlights from the 7 – 13th WHO November bulletin)
- Pandemic Influenza A (H1N1) 2009, has been confirmed in Somalia for the first time. Two out of 10 samples tested positive for novel H1N1 (pandemic strain) on 3rd November 2009 in a KEMRI referral laboratory in Nairobi, Kenya.
- Acute Watery Diarrhoea (AWD) Update: There has been a Hospital during week 44 compared to week 43. 75 cases (95% in <5yrs) of AWD were reported with 1 death below 5 years. In week 44 in Lower Shabelle, 27 cases of AWD (48% in <5yrs) including 2 deaths <5yrs. 59% of AWD cases were from Merka. In the same week, 7 districts of Lower and Middle Juba reported a total of 147 AWD cases (84% in <5yrs) and no deaths, almost double those reported in week 43. Approximately 50% of the cases were reported from Hagar and Kismayo. Jilib and Jamame have remained inaccessible and thus are not reporting.
WHO and partners, including UNICEF and the WASH cluster, have initiated: increased chlorination of water sources in the locations of confirmed cholera and/or AWD; localized community/health staff trainings, active case finding and management, and prepositioning of essential medicines and equipment in all affected regions. Close monitoring of the situation is on-going.
For details, see the October Somalia Health Cluster Bulletin and November 2009 WHO Health Events in Somalia Bulletin at www.emro.who.int/somalia/healthcluster
