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Madagascar: El Nino/Drought Humanitarian Situation Report, as of 30 April 2017

Countries
Madagascar
Sources
UNICEF
Publication date

Highlights

  • The improved rainy season and harvest in March and April 2017 may produce a temporary reprieve from the complex nutritional crisis in the south, however pockets of acute malnutrition remain an obstacle to recovery. Preliminary results of the UNICEF-led nutrition SMART surveys show GAM prevalence between 10 and 15 per cent in Beloha and Amboasary districts, within the “high” prevalence range for wasting,according to WHO standards (10-14 per cent).

  • Since January 2017, UNICEF has provided water access to nearly 130,000 people of the estimated 740,000 living without access to potable water in the eight most affected districts, but 610,000 people remain without access to sufficient safe water. UNICEF is conducting hydrogeological surveys for future water infrastructure construction, water system repair and other temporary water provision interventions to provide access to those still in need.

  • In March 2017, student absenteeism continued to increase in two of three affected regions (Anosy, Androy) after a brief period of improvement in January.

  • The response to meet the needs of 391,000 children in need of humanitarian assistance remains widely underfunded, except for Nutrition and Health, jeopardizing UNICEF’s ability to meet its Core Commitments for Children in Humanitarian Action (CCCs).

Situation in numbers

As of 30 April 2017

391,000 Children in need of immediate humanitarian assistance (46% Total pop in IPC phases 3 & 4)

35,000 Children aged 6 to 59 months in need of treatment for SAM in 2017 (UNICEF estimated caseload 2017 in the Humanitarian Action for children (HAC) appeal)

850,000 People without access to safe water for drinking, cooking and personal hygiene (UNICEF estimated caseload 2017, HAC)

UNICEF HAC Appeal 2017

US$ 31.4 million

Situation Overview & Humanitarian Needs

Field reports from March indicate a certain new optimism among drought-affected communities which have reported the “best” rains and harvest since 2014/2015. Preliminary results of four SMART nutrition surveys supported by UNICEF and conducted by the National Nutrition Office with UNICEF and ACF-Canada, show a prevalence of global acute malnutrition (GAM) ranging from 13.9 per cent in Beloha to 8.1 per cent in Taolagnaro and rates of severe acute malnutrition (SAM) between 2.7 per cent in Beloha to 0.7 per cent in Taolagnaro. While none of the four districts covered by the survey have GAM prevalence above the emergency threshold (15 per cent), two districts (Tsihombe and Amboasary) have rates of GAM above the alert threshold of 10 per cent.

These results also show high rates of chronic malnutrition, which ranges from 31 per cent in Beloha to 47.7 per cent in Amboasary.