Attachments
Highlights
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Between 19 and 21 May, 49 people were killed in simultaneous attacks by an armed group in four villages in the North-West of CAR. UNICEF started the implementation of a coordinated response in child protection, education and health in three different areas.
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On 29 May, the Ministry of Health and Population reported two cases of poliovirus in Bambari as well as Bimbo on the outskirts of Bangui, and officially declared the epidemic. UNICEF, WHO and the Ministry are organizing a series of response campaigns in the affected health districts.
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In May, 105 children (48 girls) were released from armed groups in Bangassou and Kaga-Bandoro.
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The Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM) conducted the year’s first voucher-based Non-Food Items (NFI) fair. Coupled with a WASH intervention, the fair benefitted 698 households (3,653 individuals) in a heavily conflict-affected area 10km North of Kaga Bandoro.
SITUATION IN NUMBERS
1.5 million # of children in need of humanitarian assistance
2.9 million # of people in need (OCHA, March 2019)
612,025 # of Internally displaced persons (OCHA, April 2019)
Outside CAR
605.046 # of registered CAR refugees (UNHCR, May 2019)
Situation Overview & Humanitarian Needs
Between 19 and 21 May, 49 people were killed in simultaneous attacks organized by an armed group in the villages of Koundjili and Lemouna, (42 and 52 km west of Paoua) and Bohong and Maikolo (70 km from Bouar), according to the peacekeeping mission MINUSCA. About 12,000 people moved into the bush, to Pougol and Pende (Paoua area) and to Bouar. Most of them were children. UNICEF immediately organized a Child Protection response coordinated between its Bangui, Bouar and Bossangoa offices. A child protection emergency response team composed of UNICEF, War Child and Caritas staff was deployed to Paoua on 25 May and carried out a first mission to the villages of Koundjili and Lemouna. At the same time, according to initial available data, more than 1,200 displaced children arrived in Bouar. Several of them were separated or unaccompanied. These displacements occurred while 722 of these children were scheduled to take their end-of-year exams. A Bangui emergency team is preparing to support the Bouar Zonal Office with Education and Child Protection activities. Stocks of health supplies and recreational kits were sent by road to Bossangoa, Paoua and Bouar, and the Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM) was also put on alert.
On 29 May, following the confirmation of vaccine-derived cases of poliovirus (PV2) on two three-year-old children in Bambari (Ouaka, Center) and Bimbo (outskirts of Bangui) the Ministry of Health and Population declared a polio epidemic. Investigations show that these children have never been vaccinated against polio. The Ministry announced that this poliovirus type 2 outbreak is a public health emergency of national scope. UNICEF, WHO and the Ministry of Health and Population are organizing a series of response campaigns in the affected health districts.