ReliefWeb

Highlights:

• In May, over 23,000 people have been displaced in Cabo Delgado (CD), of which 51 percent are children on the move

• Ministry of Health declared a National Public Health Emergency in Mozambique on 18 May 2022 due to a new polio outbreak (Wild polio virus type 1)

• Nearly 1,680 children U5 in 18 hard to reach communities in CD were assisted with life-saving nutrition interventions

• UNICEF handed over five rehabilitated schools in Sofala province benefiting 4,500 children

• Over 15,000 households received cash transfer in Zambezia in response to covid-19 secondary impacts

• Nearly 64,000 people were engaged, promoting key lifesaving behaviors on COVID-19, sanitation and hygiene practices.

Situation in Numbers

384,316 children displaced in need of humanitarian assistance (IOM February 2022)

1,500,000 people in need (OCHA March 2022)

784,319 Internally displaced people (IOM February 2022)

80,000 People in hard-to-reach areas (OCHA March 2022)

Funding Overview and Partnerships

UNICEF appeals for US$98.8 million to sustain the provision of life-saving services for women and children in Mozambique affected by multiple shocks. However, this appeal does not include funding required to support those affected by Cyclone Gombe and Tropical Storm Ana during the first quarter of 2022. This year, UNICEF has received generous contributions from the GAVI Vaccine Alliance, in support of UNICEF Mozambique’s humanitarian response to COVID-19, the United Kingdom, CERF and the Republic of Korea, who provided support for UNICEF’s response in the aftermath of Tropical Storms Ana and Gombe, and the World Bank via UNOPS, the Government of Italy and Norway who provided support for UNICEF’s activities in northern Mozambique. Needs in Mozambique have increased due to a busy cyclone season with multiple storms in rapid succession and below-average rainfall recorded in the southern region. The 2022 HAC, primarily focused on the conflict in the north, has a funding gap of 81 per cent. Without sufficient funds, over 600,000 children will not receive support to respond to basic needs. UNICEF is utilizing resources carried over from 2021 and has reallocated regular resources when possible to address urgent gaps.

Situation Overview & Humanitarian Needs

The situation in Cabo Delgado continues to be volatile and unpredictable. In May, a total 388 population movements involving 23,281 people, of which an average of 51 percent are children, were reported in Cabo Delgado. About 64 per cent of the movements occurred in the first and last week of May with Macomia district reporting arrivals every week and 10,565 people (45 percent of people on the move) returning to areas of origin mainly Palma, Muidumbe and Macomia districts. The triggers for these movements were namely; return to areas of origin, attacks, fear of attacks and in some cases search for food/livelihood opportunities. Humanitarian needs reported are mainly food, shelter and nonfood items. Humanitarian actors still have partial access to hard-to-reach areas, while northern areas of Macomia, Meluco, Mocimboa da Praia and Western areas of Palma district remain inaccessible.

The Famine Early Warning System Network (FEWSNET) indicated that although internal displaced people (IDPs) started to return to their areas of origin, food insecurity outcomes of stressed (IPC 2) and crisis (IPC 3) will continue to persist as most households rely on humanitarian food assistance. Crisis (IPC Phase 3) outcome is likely to emerge in southern Mozambique (due to drought) and coastal Nampula (due to the impact of cyclone Gombe) as household food stocks diminish, along with limited access to income for market purchases to fill food consumption gaps. In addition, in reflection to the global increase in fuel prices, the Government increased the price of cooking gas, gasoline and diesel during the month of May. Subsequently, prices of some basic commodities and services have increased across the country. This will have an impact on humanitarian operations and will further challenge the already critical situation of the poor to very poor households in the country.

Mozambique is currently facing two Polio outbreaks namely Circulating Vaccine Derived Polio Virus (cVDPV2) type 2 with six cases distributed among three provinces (Cabo Delgado, Nampula and Manica) and Wild polio virus type 1 with one case confirmed on 14 May 2022 in Tete province linked with Malawi case. In response to this last outbreak, the Ministry of Health (MoH) declared a National Public Health Emergency in Mozambique on 18 May 2022. In addition to the immunization response already done in seven provinces for the cVDPV2, the MoH has planned a nationwide vaccination campaign for both polio outbreaks during the next three months (July-September 2022).

As of 31 May 2022, there were 150 active cases of COVID-19 and six hospitalized in COVID centers. Most of these cases are concentrated in Maputo region and Gaza province. In terms of vaccination, the MoH reported that 14.2 million people were completely immunized against covid-19 representing 93.6 percent of its target (15.2 million).