WFP Madagascar Country Brief, September 2017
- Countries
- Madagascar
- Sources
- WFP
- Publication date
- Origin
- View original
Highlights
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Certain urban areas of Madagascar (districts of Antananarivo, Tamatave etc.) are experiencing the outbreak of a plague epidemic since August.
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WFP will implement resilience strengthening activities in the 16 targeted communes, where the food security situation has improved. These activities will be complemented by nutritional support and school feeding programmes, for higher impact.
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In food-insecure areas in southern and south-eastern regions, WFP will provide relief food assistance, accompanied by nutritional programmes for the treatment and prevention of acute malnutrition.
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WFP’s funding requirements for the period October 2017 to March 2018 amount to USD 23 million.
Operational Updates
Plague Epidemic: The outbreak of plague in Madagascar which began in August continues to evolve. According to WHO, from 1 August to 8 October 2017, a total of 387 cases (suspected, probable and confirmed) including 45 deaths (case fatality rate 11.6%) have been reported (27 out of 114 districts), with a prevalence of pneumonic plague. In close collaboration with WHO and other organizations, the Government is taking measures to halt the propagation of the epidemic.
WFP Response to the Drought in the South: While emergency response to the El Niño induced drought ended in May, in June, beneficiaries which could not be assisted in May, received unconditional cash and food based assistance. With the start of the 2017/2018 lean season in October and in coordination with other actors present in the south and south-eastern regions, WFP plans to implement FFA activities in areas which experienced an improvement in their food security situation to strengthen the resilience of these communities and unconditional assistance will be provided in areas with high levels of food insecurity and undernutrition.
In September, nutritional support will be provided to 15,360 children under five years of age and pregnant and breastfeeding women as part of the Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM) treatment component and 26,389 children under two years of age the under the MAM prevention and stunting prevention components.
Country Programme: School meals programme: In support to the Ministry of Education, WFP provides daily fortified school meals to 215,000 students in the southern regions (Anosy, Androy and Atsimo Andrefana) and marginalized urban zones of Antananarivo, Tamatave and Tulear. The delivery of food to the schools targeted as part of this programme began in September and children began attending classes in October 2017.
WFP’s response to cyclone ENAWO: On 11 March, following widespread flooding caused by the tropical cyclone ENAWO, WFP, in coordination with the National Bureau of Risk and Disaster Management (BNGRC) and in partnership with other actors, began unconditional food distributions to disaster affected populations. Following unconditional food distributions, a Food Assistance for Assets (FFA) programme was implemented in from May to August.