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West and Central Africa: Weekly Regional Humanitarian Snapshot (16-22 November 2021)

Países
Nigeria
+ 3
Fuentes
OCHA
Fecha de publicación

MALI

SCHOOLS INACCESSIBLE DUE TO INSECURITY & DISPLACEMENT

Over 2,300 internally displaced persons (IDPs) are still living in 13 schools in Niono city in the central Ségou region, two weeks after the school year has begun early November. The situation is preventing about 3,900 students from attending school and creating tensions between students and IDPs. Furthermore, about 4,700 IDPs live in 28 other schools in the Niono district, affecting over 8,400 students. In some areas, IDPs have been forced to leave classrooms to allow children to return to school. IDPs, who sought refuge in schools, are in critical need of shelter, nonfood items, and winter assistance.
Humanitarian organizations are mobilizing to provide assistance. While IDP presence hinders students’ return to schools, insecurity has also been rendering the return to 118 other schools challenging, affecting 18,000 children and 484 teachers.

NIGER

CHOLERA KILLS 156 PERSONS, INFECTS ABOUT 5,400

On 9 August, the Niger Minister of Public Health declared a cholera epidemic. As of today, cholera has killed 156 persons and infected about 5,400 in Niger, with a case fatality rate of 2.9 per cent. Cholera was first reported in the Maradi region, on the borders with Nigeria, and was linked to the outbreak in northern Nigeria. Niger’s borders with Nigeria are porous with frequent crossings, leading to the continuous spread of the disease. The outbreak is exacerbating pre-existing vulnerabilities linked to the current conflict and other aggravating factors. In Maradi, nonstate armed group (NSAG) activities hamper the access of displaced people to health services. NSAG incursions also force hundreds of people to relocate each month, alienating them from health services or leading to increased pressure on health facilities already working with limited capacities.

NIGERIA

CHOLERA KILLS 3,300 PERSONS, INFECTS ABOUT 94,000

Since June 2021, a continuous increase in cholera cases has been reported. So far, cholera has killed about 3,300 persons and infected about 94,000. The case fatality rate is 3.5 per cent, higher than the previous annual outbreaks in the past four years.
Children aged between five and 14 are the most affected. Moreover, cholera has affected 32 of 36 states, including the capital Abuja. However, the north remains the most affected with 89 per cent of all suspected cases, and in particular Bauchi, Kano, Zamfara, and Jigwa states, which include 57 per cent of the suspected cases. Poor sanitation practices and the consumption of contaminated water are some of the key drivers of the current outbreak. The rainy season and subsequent flooding also worsened the situation. Since 21 June, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control activated a comprehensive cholera Emergency Operations Centre to respond to the emergency. The unstable security situation hinders the access of humanitarian and health workers and their provision of vital assistance.

BURKINA FASO

NSAG ATTACKS KILLS 53 PERSONS INLCUDING FOUR CIVILIANS

On 14 November, non-state armed group members (NSAG) carried out an attack in Inata town in Soum province in the north of the country, killing 53 persons including four civilians, in one of the deadliest attacks in the country. On 16 November, hundreds of people demonstrated in several cities demanding an end to NSAG attacks. Burkina Faso has been facing regular and deadly attacks since 2015, particularly in the northern and eastern regions, in the "three borders" area, bordering Mali and Niger.
Violence, sometimes compounded by intercommunal clashes, has killed about 2,000 people and forced 1.4 million to flee their homes.

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