Following the polio outbreak in neighbouring Somalia and in Dadaab refugee camp and the host district in Kenya, the Ethiopian government, in collaboration with health partners, strengthened community based surveillance and is implementing polio supplementary immunization activities. An initial emergency immunization campaign targeted 183,000 children under-15 years in the Dollo Ado refugee camps and the host community. A subsequent immunization round targeted 2.6 million children under-15 years in Somali Region, Harari Region, the city of Dire Dawa, as well as selected high-risk zones in Oromia and SNNP Regions. The second round of the immunization campaign started on 19 July. At present, there is no confirmed case of polio reported in the country. With a dwindling pot of resources, WHO is conducting resource mobilization activities to further heighten surveillance in high-risk areas and to provide vaccination.
Meanwhile, as part of the wider effort exerted by the Government to ensure a more timely and effective prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery from disasters within the health sector, a high level advocacy meeting was organized by the Ministry of Health and WHO on 18 July to discuss modalities for strengthening the country’s health sector disaster risk management (DRM). Findings of the recently conducted health sector DRM capacity assessment and the ten-year road map for strengthening the health sector DRM capacity were presented at the meeting. For more information, contact: who-wro@et.afro.who.int
WASH Update
Good seasonal rains received during the past week enabled the interruption of trucking activities in Amhara Region, and the reduction in trucking request to 14 trucks – down from 17 a week ago, in Tigray Region. Consequently, national water trucking requests decreased from 32 to 25 during the past week. At present, 21 trucks are operational in Afar (all 11 trucks requested) and Tigray (10 of 14 trucks requested), benefitting more than 100,000 people. The water needs of some 65,000 people in Tigray have yet to be met. For more information, contact awesterbeek@unicef.org
Relief Food Update
As of 17 July, the dispatch of the second round of relief food was completed, while dispatch of the third round reached 74 per cent. Meanwhile, the first round of relief food distribution stood at 92 per cent, while the second round distribution reached 53 per cent. The third round distribution started in Amhara (16 per cent), Oromia (26 per cent),
Tigray (16 per cent) and Somali (one per cent) Regions. Preparation is on-going to start the dispatch and distribution of the fourth round. Due to supply shortages, DRMFSS-covered areas are receiving a reduced food basket (no oil) and reduced ration of the Corn Soya Blend (CSB) under the second round.
Similarly, under the third round, DRMFSScovered areas will receive a reduced food basket (no oil) and full ration for all other commodities, while JEOP and WFP-covered areas will receive a full food basket and full ration of all commodities.
As of the same date, dispatch of the Productive Safety Net Programme (PSNP) food allocation for April reached 96 per cent; while the PSNP food allocation for May stood at 63 per cent and that of June at 54 per cent. For more information, contract wfp.addisababa@wfp.org
Refugee Update
Ethiopia is now host to 409,000 refugees – second only to Kenya in terms of refugee population in Africa, including 239,286 from Somalia, 73,059 from Eritrea, 62,256 from South Sudan, 30,282 from Sudan and 4,183 from several other countries. The Government refugee agency, ARRA, and UNHCR, with IOM support, continue the relocation of South Sudanese refugees from Gambella’s Wanthowa woreda, to Pugnido camp. As of 16 July, 4,522 of the 6,000 refugees planned to be relocated to Pugnido camp this year, were accommodated in the camp. UNHCR and its partners are working to address shortages of shelter materials and sanitation facilities in the camp. Also in Gambella,
Dima woreda of Agnewak zone continues to receive new arrivals from Pibor County of Jonglei State, South Sudan.
Some 5,000 people have so far arrived in the area. Food ration and non-food item (NFI) supplies were provided to the new arrivals. Health and nutrition interventions are also on-going.
In Dollo Ado, the number of new refugee arrivals from Somalia further decreased with the start of the Holy month of Ramadan. Meanwhile, WFP initiated its cash transfer pilot project in the Sheddar refugee camp, where more than 12,000 Somali refugees receive monthly cash transfers of 100 birr per person, in addition to their monthly ration comprising of 13.9 kg of food, including wheat, rice, pulses, corn-soya blend (CSB), oil, sugar and salt. This project, funded by ECHO will allow the refugees more control over their food intake and diversify their diets. WFP plans to expand this initiative to Awbare refugee camp in Jijiga. For more information, contact: gegziabk@unhcr.org