West and Central Africa: Weekly Regional Humanitarian Snapshot (4 – 10 December 2018)

CHAD

MEASLES INFECTIONS RISING

Measles infections are on the rise since mid-November when 209 cases were recorded, up from 131 a week earlier. In late November and early December, 43 cases were reported in seven districts in central and southern Chad.

Another 105 samples are being tested. More than 4,000 cases and 91 deaths have been recorded since an outbreak was declared in June. The outbreak has hit the epidemic level in 39 health districts. Vaccination was carried out in 41 districts in November.

DR CONGO

EBOLA SCREENING SITES TORCHED

Unidentified individuals on 4 December torched two Ebola screening sites and a community relay centre in Beni in the latest violent incidents against medical operations to curb the outbreak in the east of the country. The persistent insecurity in North Kivu province that has displaced thousands of people to neighbouring Ituri province has also increased Ebola transmission risk. On 3 December, six cases were reported in Komanda and Mandima localities in Ituri. No infections had recently been reported in the two areas

NIGER

NIGER ADOPTS IDP CONVENTION

The parliament on 3 December adopted a bill on IDP protection and assistance, becoming the first African country to domesticate the Kampala Convention. The law aims to promote and strengthen measure to prevent, mitigate or eliminate the primary causes of internal displacement, and establishes a legal framework that governs internal displacement and promotes durable solutions.

NIGER/NIGERIA

THOUSANDS VACCINATED AGAINST CHOLERA

Borno state health authorities, UNICEF and MSF on 3 December launched a five-day cholera vaccination campaign targeting around 463,000 people in four localities.
Communities were encouraged to turn out in large numbers ahead of the campaign. WHO deployed teams to schools to ensure pupils are vaccinated. In Niger, the authorities and WHO also launched a cholera vaccination drive targeting more than 152,000 people.
Since July, cholera has infected 3,824 people and killed 78. The outbreak has affected four regions in Niger’s south.

NIGERIA

ARMED RAIDS HIT CIVILIANS HARD

Gunmen raided an IDP camp in Yola town in Nigeria’s north-east on 2 December, opened fire and stole valuables as the displaced scampered for safety. The attack is the latest in a trend marked by lootings and kidnapping for ransom. Five people were kidnapped recently and their abductors are demanding thousands of dollars for their release. OCHA is working with the State Emergency Management Agency and security agencies to help improve security in and around the camp.
A separate attack on 4 December displaced hundreds of civilians in Guzamala locality in Borno state. The armed raiders stormed the village in trucks and fought for several hours with soldiers.

MALI

BROKEN DAM FLOODS VILLAGES, FARMS

Hundreds of people in the northern Mopti and Timbuktu regions have been affected by flooding after an irrigation dam collapsed on 29 November. Gushing water from the broken dam swamped homes, destroyed 15 tons of food stocks and killed several livestock.
Around 250 acres of rice field were also flooded. A technical and humanitarian assessment is underway.