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UNICEF Angola Humanitarian Situation Report (January to June 2018)

Países
Angola
+ 1
Fuentes
UNICEF
Fecha de publicación

Highlights

  • 890 suspected cases of cholera, including 15 deaths, were reported from January to June in Uige, Cabinda and Luanda Provinces.

  • Throughout the year, 1,250 mobilizers were trained on cholera prevention in Uige and Luanda’s cholera affected communities through door-to-door visits, reaching over 185,000 people.

  • 42,587 children under the age of 5 years have been screened for malnutrition and 9,843 were admitted for severe acute malnutrition (SAM) treatment from January to June in UNICEFsupported outpatient and inpatient treatment centers in drought affected municipalities.

  • A cumulative total of 980 household latrines and showers built in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) refugee settlement of Lovua, of which 83 are for vulnerable families.

  • The 2018 Humanitarian Action for Children (HAC) has a substantial funding gap of 80 per cent which will impact UNICEF response in the next six months, namely in terms of child protection in the refugee response, access to education services and cholera case management.

890 Suspected cases of cholera in Uige, Cabinda and Luanda (includes 15 deaths) (27 June Cholera Bulletin, Ministry of Health)

700,000 People estimated to be in need of clean drinking water (Projection for 2018 based on 2017 Vulnerability Assessment Committee SADC) and 35,622 refugees (Biometric Registration Update as of 18 June 2018, UNHCR)

408,100 Children estimated to be in need of clean drinking water* (2017 Vulnerability Assessment Committee SADC) including 18,678 refugee children (Biometric Registration Update as of 15 April, UNHCR)

43,000 Children under 5 to be admitted for SAM treatment (Based on MOH data)

Situation Overview and Humanitarian Needs

The rainy season, associated with displacement and extensive flooding, has given rise to outbreaks of water-borne diseases, particularly cholera. In 2018, three provinces in Angola have reported suspected cases. In Uige and Cabinda, where cholera outbreaks affected almost 900 people and killed 15 people, no new cases have been registered in the last five weeks, after an effective initial response supported by UNICEF.

In May, a new cholera outbreak was declared in Luanda province, with 33 suspected cases, 3 lab-confirmed cases and 6 deaths. Conversely, no new cases have been reported in Uige and Cabinda provinces in the last five weeks. UNICEF has identified and ranked 7 out of the 18 provinces as being at high risk for cholera outbreaks. Although pre-positioning supplies and partnerships for those areas are key priorities in preparedness efforts, successive outbreaks and lack of funding and experienced partners is preventing UNICEF from adequately addressing those priorities in a timely manner.

Southern Angola is experiencing a chronic nutrition crisis stemming from the combined impacts of economic shock, limited rainfall and the deteriorating quality and reach of basic services. Access to safe water remains limited, with twothirds of water points non-operational in affected areas, and over 700,000 people in need of clean drinking water. Although food security has improved, higher prices are constraining access to food and increasing the risk of malnutrition for thousands of children. Many of these children are still experiencing the impacts of the El Niño phenomenon, which left 756,000 people in need of food assistance.

Instability and potential for violence in the Kasai region of the DRC continues to remain a matter of concern. A total of 35,622 DRC refugees have been registered in Lunda Norte province from the start of the refugee influx to the last quarter of 2017. By the end of 2017, the situation of refugees improved with their transfer to a new settlement area in Lovua. Nevertheless, limited access to basic health services continues to pose heightened risk of disease outbreaks. Instability in the DRC could cause a new refugee influx into Angola during 2018 and will require continued monitoring and preparedness. UNICEF has started a new project to revamp its support in terms of WASH and C4D in Lovua settlement. A new partnership to ensure that refugee children with Severe and Moderate Acute Malnutrition receive appropriate treatment and that caregivers in Lovua settlement have appropriate knowledge on infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices is also being developed. Simultaneously, UNICEF has signed an agreement to support capacity strengthening of key provincial government entities for improved social sector service delivery and resilience strengthening, focusing on the emergency response and development nexus beyond the refugee population.

The Ebola Virus Disease outbreak in the DRC’s Equateur province in April 2018, and consequent high risk of spreading at regional level, prompted Angola to react. Under the leadership of the Civil Protection National Committee (CNPC), and with UNICEF and partners’ support, Angola drafted and approved the 2018 Ebola National Contingency Plan, while immediately implementing a set of preventive measures in its bordering provinces, including training of health and administration staff, as well as community and religious leaders on prevention and case management.

UNICEF Angola will be reviewing its Humanitarian Action for Children (HAC; currently $14,660,000 is required to address the needs of refugee children and the ongoing vulnerability of Angolan women and children at risk of water-borne diseases and facing protracted drought, exacerbated by the economic and financial crisis.