28th October 2005Major Developments: The Prime Minister also referred to the debate in the international and local news on famine and people dying from hunger. She also made it clear that the government is not about to launch an international emergency appeal, as suggested by the governor of Inhambane province, Lázaro Vicente, earlier this week. Instead, the government was keeping its cooperation partners fully briefed, and was pleased to note that "they are with us and understand the situation". The government has been working with the figure of around 600,000 people affected by drought in southern and central Mozambique - but the latest data suggest that this is a serious underestimate. According to the Food and Nutritional Security Technical Group (SETSAN), preliminary data from a survey of 60 districts in the first fortnight of October indicate that over 800,000 people are now facing extreme food insecurity. The Prime Minister said that the 2005 grain harvest, at about 1.9 million tonnes, was five per cent lower than last year's. Nonetheless there are still grain surpluses in parts of the country. Monitoring of the Tropical Disturbance: On 11th October, the first system of the year appeared in the Indian Ocean near the Island of Diego Gracia (05° 3 S - 86° 7 E 12/10/2005 1200 UTC). It developed from a tropical depression into an inland disturbance. This is the second system of the season and due to the low sea surface temperatures, conditions have not enabled these initial systems to cause any damage. It is worrying, however, to have systems appearing so early in the season. Vulnerability Assessment Committee (VAC): In May 2005, the multi-sectoral Vulnerability Assessment Committee (VAC), headed by the Technical Secretariat for Food Security and Nutrition (SETSAN), conducted an assessment of the situation in relation to the drought in the country and identified 428,234 people as being vulnerable to immediate food and nutritional insecurity and 159,265 people at risk of extreme food insecurity October 2005. As a follow-up to the May VAC assessment, which recommended further monitoring of the population at risk, the VAC conducted a second assessment from 4-14 October 2005, in the provinces of Maputo, Inhambane, Gaza, Sofala, Manica, Tete, Zambezia, Cabo Delgado, Nampula and Niassa. In addition to the 32 districts covered by the May assessment, the October assessment covered a further 25 districts that had been identified as vulnerable to food and nutritional insecurity. The October VAC assessment preliminary report found that the situation in relation to food security and nutrition had deteriorated since the May assessment, with a total of 801,653 people (4.4% of the population) in a situation of immediate food and nutritional insecurity, the highest proportions being in Tete and Gaza. The lack of water, due to a shortage of rain, the drying up of water sources and the breakdown of water facilities, was identified as a critical problem in a number of provinces, particularly Gaza. The second round of the VAC assessment was held in conjunction with a nutritional survey using anthropometric measures conducted by the Ministry of Health (MoH) in many of the same drought affected districts (see below). The preliminary results of this survey, supported by UNICEF, show that in accordance with the national standards, the overall nutritional situation is not serious, but can be considered worrying in all of the provinces apart from Gaza and Inhambane. Assessments: The MoH is in the process of preparing a proposal to UNICEF and WFP for an integrated supplementary feeding programme, which will be implemented in partnership with the health authorities and NGOs and will include screening for malnutrition, supplementary food rations for moderately malnourished children, referral of severely malnourished children, deworming, Vitamin A supplementation, vaccination, expanded health outreach services and hygiene and nutrition education. Targeting of districts will be based on the results of the nutrition survey and VAC and aim to reach the of acute vulnerability.
Cholera Field assessment: From 17-22nd October the UNICEF Emergency, Health and WSHP teams jointly conducted a field assessment in drought affected areas with high cholera outbreaks in the provinces of Zambezia and Sofala. The latest figures from the MoH show that a total of 1,838 cumulative cases and 20 deaths were reported up until 24 October 2005. Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Promotion: UNICEF is supporting the construction of five water points in Mocuba as part of the cholera response. In addition, emergency supplies are being provided to Gaza province. Health and Nutrition: Training for 40 health staff on the updated protocol for the treatment of severe malnutrition in Niassa, Nampula and Zambezia provinces, which have among the highest rates of wasting according to the recent nutrition survey. Measles and Polio campaign: The final phase of the national measles, polio and Vitamin A campaign was completed during the second week of October in the three Southern provinces of the country. The preliminary results show national coverage of over 97% for each of the three interventions. Support was provided to provincial health directorates to treat and contain outbreaks of cholera through supporting the recruitment of forty additional staf, procurement of tents for the establishment of CTCs. Currently, the training plan for at least 60 CTC staff is being finalised. The district of Mocuba, for example, has a population of 188,479 (2004) and a water coverage level of less than 20%. The situation is critical, as most people living near the river Licungo collect water directly from this unsafe source. People resist water chlorination due to change in taste of water and social conventions and in addition the cost of one bucket of clean water is 100,000 MT.
Health and Nutrition: Training for 40 health staff on the updated protocol for the treatment of severe malnutrition in Niassa, Nampula and Zambezia provinces, which have among the highest rates of wasting according to the recent nutrition survey. Measles and Polio campaign: The final phase of the national measles, polio and Vitamin A campaign was completed during the second week of October in the three Southern provinces of the country. The preliminary results show national coverage of over 97% for each of the three interventions. Support was provided to provincial health directorates to treat and contain outbreaks of cholera through supporting the recruitment of forty additional staf, procurement of tents for the establishment of CTCs. Currently, the training plan for at least 60 CTC staff is being finalised.
|
