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West and Central Africa: Weekly Regional Humanitarian Snapshot (3 – 9 September 2019)

Countries
Chad
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OCHA
Publication date

BURKINA FASO

TWENTY-NINE KILLED IN ARMED ATTACKS

At least 29 people were killed in two separate attacks on 8 September in northern Burkina Faso. Fourteen civilians were killed in an attack on the road from Dablo (Sanmatenga province, CentreNorth region) to Kelbo (Soum province, Sahel region). Another 15 died and six were injured when a commercial vehicle ran over an improvised explosive device on the road from Foubé to Barsalogho in Sanmatenga. Worsening armed violence has caused an unprecedented humanitarian emergency in Burkina Faso, with around 290,000 people now displaced from their homes.

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

ARMED CLASHES DISPLACE 13,000

Around 13,000 people have been displaced after clashes on 1 September between armed groups in Birao town in the north-eastern Vakaga prefecture, according to the Central African Red Cross. More than 11,000 of the displaced have sought refuge around the UN peacekeeping mission compound. An emergency humanitarian response is underway, including emergency medical teams.

CHAD

MEASLES EPIDEMIC PERSISTS

A measles epidemic declared in May 2018 continues to spread in several provinces. Nearly 24,000 people have been affected and 225 deaths recorded. The Ministry of Health in late July validated a vaccination strategy for children between 6 and 9 years across the country, but the programme has yet to be funded. Some of the challenges in responding to the epidemic include insufficient vaccines, low cold chain capacity, poor community involvement in vaccination drives, inadequate resources and weak public health system.

CHAD

MALNUTRITION CASES ON THE RISE

Some 212,952 children suffering severe acute malnutrition were admitted for treatment in the first half of this year, compared with 154,620 in the same period in 2018. The capital N’Djamena accounts for the highest number of cases at 26 per cent. The rise is likely due to increased malnutrition screening and improved coverage with the opening of new nutrition units for outpatient care. It could also be due to the ongoing measles epidemic and population displacement in the western Lac region. Overall, 12 out of 23 provinces are affected by global acute malnutrition, exceeding the emergency threshold of 15 per cent.

NIGERIA

NEARLY 3,000 AFFECTED BY FLOODS IN NGALA

Heavy rains have inundated two camps and a village in Ngala locality in northeast Nigeria, affecting around 3,450 people. More than 600 houses, including emergency shelters, toilets and other water and hygiene facilities as well as food and household items have been destroyed. Humanitarian organizations are mobilizing assistance and are also working to prevent further damage as heavy rains and flash floods are expected to continue in September, according to forecasters. Floods have also hit locations in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states, with at least 10 deaths and thousands of people displaced reported.

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs: To learn more about OCHA's activities, please visit https://www.unocha.org/.