ReliefWeb

Highlights:

• Seasonal rains have started in the south eastern parts of the country, bringing relief in term of access to water, but also threatening the spread of acute watery diarrhoea (AWD).

• In Somali region, UNICEF supported the Regional Health Bureau to deploy six rapid response teams to four woredas to ensure effective treatment of children with severe acute malnutrition (SAM).

• The combined efforts of the Government and WASH partners in water trucking is currently benefiting some 1.3 million people in Afar, Oromia, Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples (SNNP), Somali and Tigray regions.

• Responding to the AWD outbreak in Somali region, UNICEF dispatched 27 drums of community level water treatment chemicals, household water treatment chemicals (to benefit more than 10,000 families for two months), water storage containers and soaps.

• In March 2017, 16,274 new South Sudanese refugees arrived in Gambella region of Ethiopia, an increase from 5,570 in February 2017.

Situation Overview and Humanitarian Needs

Seasonal rains have started in all regions with varying distribution and intensity. In Somali region, rains came in some woredas of Erer, Jarar, Korahe and Nogob zones while no rains were received in the severely drought affected areas including Dollo, Korahe (partly) and Shebelle zones. Although delayed by more than a month in Oromia and SNNP regions, the Belg rains have started (except pocket areas) including in drought affected zones. If rains continue with the same intensity and coverage, the availability of water for domestic use and livestock will increase as well as the regeneration of pasture. However, milk production is not expected soon and the immediate impact of the rains is harmful. Weak and emaciated livestock typically die due to the cold, change of weather and increase in diseases. The rains also increase the risk of water borne diseases, including acute watery diarrhea (AWD). In Somali region, the movement of people to informal settlements may particularly expose them to outbreaks of infectious and water-borne diseases.

Pastoralists and agro-pastoralist communities of eastern lowland areas remain affected by the ongoing drought, which include Oromia, Somali and parts of SNNP region. From 6 to 15 March 2017, a joint assessment mission composed of DFID, IOM, OCHA, UNICEF and WFP visited the three most drought affected zones of Oromia region: Guji, Borena and West Guji. The team found that the number of people requiring food aid has increased and, in some areas, the need has doubled from the number in the Humanitarian Requirement Document (HRD) released in January 2017. There is an increase in malnutrition cases in children and in pregnant and lactating women; critical water shortage and significant livestock deaths. The zones also reported an increase in the number of children dropping out of school. School feeding and provision of water were mentioned as key priorities. There are concerns with regard to the lack of adequate, continuous response, funding and presence of implementing partners, especially as the humanitarian situation is likely to deteriorate given the expected below normal Gana rains.

The National Disaster Risk Management Commission (NDRMC) and OCHA-led joint humanitarian response monitoring mission was completed at the end of March 2017. The purpose of the assessment was to review the ongoing humanitarian response and assess the evolving humanitarian situation. The report is currently being finalized and will inform the revision of the beneficiary number. The 2017 HRD released by the Government of Ethiopia (GoE) indicates that some 5.6 million people are in need of food assistance in 2017 due to the severe drought. Seventy five per cent of these people in need of food aid are found in Oromia, Somali and SNNP regions.

New asylum seekers from Somalia fleeing conflicts and food insecurity continue to arrive in Somali region of Ethiopia. Between 1 January 2017 and 24 March 2017, 4,569 new Somali refugees, a 50-person daily average, have arrived at the Dollo Ado refugee camp. Out of the new arrivals, 70.5 per cent are children. Prevalence of malnutrition among refugee children under five continue to be high. In Gambella region, 77,874 South Sudanese refugees have arrived in Ethiopia since 1 September 2016. In March, 16,274 new South Sudanese refugees arrived in the country, an increase from 5,570 refugees that have arrived in February 2017. Ethiopia hosts more than 800,000 refugees with the majority from South Sudan, Somalia and Eritrea.