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UNICEF Sudan Humanitarian Situation Report, August 2018

Countries
Sudan
+ 1 more
Sources
UNICEF
Publication date

Highlights

  • Educational supplies and recreational kits for 1,250 children were provided to children and adolescents in South Sudanese Refugee settlement in Khartoum to respond to the educational needs.
  • 13,700 children (5,480 boys, and 8,220 girls) from the flood-affected areas in Al-Nuhood locality in West Kordofan state received Psychological support services (PSS).
  • Education supplies including teaching and learning materials and tarpaulins for roofing the damaged roofs were provided in response to the emergency education needs of 23 schools severely affected by floods in West Kordofan and North Darfur benefitting 11,270 children (5,973 boys, 5,297 girls).
  • 2,100 floods-affected population (1,041 males, 1,059 females out of which 1,070 are children) gained access to emergency basic sanitation facilities in Kassala, South Darfur and West Kordofan states through the construction of emergency 48 communal and 190 households latrines.

Situation Overview and Humanitarian Needs

Rainy season (June – September) continues to take its toll on Sudan’s most vulnerable communities. Heavy rains and consequent flash floods have so far affected more than 142,000 people, damaging households and livelihoods in 14 out of Sudan’s 18 states; West Khordofan, Kassala and Gedaref being the hardest hit, said the country’s Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC) in an ad-hoc meeting of the country’s Floods Taskforce Steering Committee. Response is ongoing and emergency shelter and household supplies, mobile clinics, surveillance, hygiene and health promotion, vector control, and water chlorination are being provided. In August, heavy rains caused localised flash flooding and affected wide areas in Blue Nile, Central Darfur, North Darfur, North Kordofan, and West Kordofan states. In Central Darfur state, local authorities reported heavy rains on 24 August in Umdukhun area with flooding affecting 141 households in three suburbs in the town in addition to the main market, and one koranic school. An inter-agency joint assessment mission under the leadership of the state Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC) is planned in early September. Overall, support to tackle the impact of floods in terms of latrine construction, temporary shelters, household kits, school rehabilitation, hygiene and health promotion, vector control and water chlorination are needed in all the affected states.

The situation of the recent Acute Watery Diarrhoea (AWD) outbreak in Central Darfur and West Darfur states, which started on 2nd June and 17th July in both states respectively is coming under control. Since the beginning of the outbreak, a total number of 134 cases of AWD have been reported, 26 in West Darfur, and 108 in Central Darfur, all of whom were admitted and treated in both states with one reported death in Central Darfur. The AWD taskforce has been set up and led by the State Ministry of Health (SMOH), Environmental Health Department, UNICEF and other health partners. Regular daily meetings have been ongoing to follow up on the response, and to provide epidemiological updates. The situation has improved with the number of new reported cases reduced to 1-2 cases every three days in Central Darfur and with no new reported case since 16 August in West Darfur.

UNICEF and partners, including the African Development Bank (AFDB), UNDP and WFP are conducting a rapid assessment on the impact of the economic crisis on the urban population in Khartoum state. The assessment will provide vital information for Government and UN to help target the most vulnerable families. On 18 July, the Commission on Social Safety Net and Poverty Reduction (CSSPR) held an inception workshop in Khartoum, with UNICEF and UNDP support, to review and agree on the methodology and tools for the survey. The CSSPR received official clearance for the survey on 13 August and the field work started on 28 August in Khartoum state. WFP trained the field enumerators and supervisors on the administration of the questionnaires. UNICEF is also receiving support from the MENA Regional Office to conduct a scoping study on the feasibility of setting up real-time monitoring of the impact of the economic crisis on children and families.