Attachments
Highlights
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UNICEF and partners screened 189,305 children for malnutrition, of whom 24,923 children were identified with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) and admitted for treatment.
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284,184 people were reached with safe water through water trucking, piped water and water treatment at household level with water treatment pills provided by UNICEF and implementing partners.
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In response to confirmed cholera outbreaks in four provinces, UNICEFtrained 620 social mobilizers who reached more than 145,900 people in cholera-affected provinces, increasing risk awareness and prevention, a further 60 social mobilizers reached an average of 3,000 caregivers per day in refugee centres with inter-personal communication activities, promoting good practices in WASH, Child Protection, and Health and Nutrition.
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Around 3,000 refugee children benefitted on a weekly basis from UNICEF child friendly spaces (CFS) in refugee settlement centres, receiving protection, nutrition screening, birth registration and early childhood development (ECD) services.
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UNICEF trained 537 teachers and associated professionals on Disaster Risk Reduction with focus on WASH, reaching more than 30,000 children in 226 schools with educational messages on preventing water-borne diseases.
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UNICEF in collaboration with the Ministry of Health vaccinated nearly 2.4 million people against yellow fever, reaching 97 per cent of the target population in 43 municipalities of 11 provinces.
SITUATION IN NUMBERS
1.15 million People affected 1.13 million (Post Disaster Needs Assessment, National) and 25,575 refugees (Biometric Registration Update as of 26 December 2017, UNHCR)
620,266 Children affected 605,982 children affected by drought and 14,284 refugee children (Biometric Registration Update as of 26 December 2017, UNHCR)
29,706 Total children under 5 with Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM)
593 Suspected cases of Cholera in 3 affected provinces (Bulletin: Cholera/ AWD Outbreaks in ESAR Regional Update, 5 October 2017 and government reports from Uige province. )
Situation Overview & Humanitarian Needs
Southern Angola continues to experience a chronic nutrition crisis stemming from the combined impacts of economic shock, limited rainfall and deteriorating quality of basic services. Estimated damage and losses for the provinces of Cunene, Huila and Namibe were assessed at just over US$297 million, with agriculture (70 per cent) and food security (18 per cent) sectors mostly affected. Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) remains a concern, especially in the hardest hit provinces with wasting rates from 10.5 per cent in Cunene to 5 per cent in Bié. Access to water remains limited, with two thirds 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. The rainy season, which is associated with displacement and extensive flooding, will likely give rise to illness and water-borne diseases, particularly cholera and elevates the risk of migratory movements of whole communities, including cross-border movements, which increases vulnerability to child protection violations. From January 2017 until December 2017, the cumulative number of suspected cholera cases stands at 593 with 33 deaths reported (13 in Soyo, 14 in Cabinda and 6 in Uige) and a Case Fatality Rate of 5.5 per cent. Currently only Uige province is reporting new cases (103 suspected new cases between November and December). UNICEF is actively engaged in controlling the outbreak and providing life-saving assistance.
The escalating violence in the Kasai region of the DRC has forced civilians to seek refuge in Angola's Lunda Norte Province, and 25,575 people require food assistance, 75 per cent of the Congolese refugees are women and children. 4 Camp conditions are poor due to overcrowding, torrential rains and heightened risk of disease outbreaks. As of 4 December, 8,812 refugees had been relocated to the settlement site, 2,145 are remaining at Cacanda reception centre and 14,618 in local host communities. UNICEF has provided health and other life-saving responses including WASH, child protection and social mobilization. Governments of the DRC and Angola are evaluating possibilities for repatriation, however the modalities of repatriation have not been defined and the situation in the DRC could at any time cause a new refugee influx into Angola in 2018, which requires continued attention and preparedness.
Humanitarian leadership and coordination
The national emergency and disaster management group coordinates partner support and long term emergency response planning, under the leadership of the Ministry of the Interior and in close collaboration with the national civil protection department. The UN Disaster Management Team also supports the Government’s response to urgent lifesaving needs, while provincial coordination mechanisms were established for Cunene, Huila and Namibe to ensure joint coordinated emergency response in the most affected areas.
A high level inter-ministerial commission, led by the Minister of Defence has been established to lead and provide overall coordination for the refugee response in Lunda Norte. Under this commission, the Ministry of Social Welfare (MINARS) leads the humanitarian response. Provincial coordination mechanisms led by provincial Governments facilitate local level inter-sectoral coordination involving local authorities and partners.
Humanitarian Strategy UNICEF responded promptly to cholera outbreaks in Soyo, Cabinda and Luanda, floods in Cunene and drought in southern provinces. Since the outset of the DRC refugee crisis in Lunda Norte Province UNICEF provided critical lifesaving support, and access to water, hygiene and sanitation, child protection, health, nutrition and C4D, while bridging emergency and development through support to capacity strengthening of provincial authorities and local civil society for systems strengthening in Health, WASH, Child Protection and Education.
UNICEF continues to deliver life-saving interventions while building local capacity and coordination mechanisms to support coordinated emergency response and preparedness in affected regions.