Weekly Humanitarian Highlights in Ethiopia 29 March 2010

Nutrition Update

The Emergency Nutrition Coordination Unit (ENCU) released the Therapeutic Feeding Programme (TFP) admission update for January 2010. According to ENCU and based on the data collected from seven regions, a total of 15,842 children under-five were admitted in TFP sites during the month of January with a reporting rate of 64.4 per cent. The reporting rate has increased by 30 per cent from December 2009 (49.7 percent) and significant improvement in reporting was noted in Oromia, Tigray, Afar and Somali regions. ENCU is compiling monthly TFP admission reports for the month of February.

Meanwhile, ENCU reports that the findings of standard nutrition surveys in Oromia and Amhara regions conducted between January and February 2010 indicate that the nutritional situation is 'mixed'. In Oromia, the assessments in Delo Mena (West Hararghe zone) and Boke (Bale zone) reveal 'serious' nutrition situation, while the situation in Meta (East Hararghe) and Habro (West Hararghe) was classified as 'poor'. Similarly, the nutritional situation in Ambassel woreda (Amhara Region) has been classified as 'poor'. However, ENCU reports that the crude and under-five mortality rates in the surveyed woredas were below national and Sphere standards, partly due to ongoing nutrition interventions. The surveys reports recommended the strengthening of nutrition interventions in all woredas, particularly in Delo Mena woreda. In addition, a rapid assessment in Kori, Bidu and Erepti woredas (Afar Region) by Save the Children UK indicates a 'worrying' nutritional situation. The Regional Disaster Prevention and Food Security Bureau together with Save the Children UK is planning to conduct standard nutrition assessments to provide better understanding of the situation and inform planning of interventions.

In line with the ongoing rollout of the Out-patient Therapeutic Programme (OTP), the number of TFP sites continues to increase, indicating greater access to TFP services. In February 2010, the number of TFP sites increased by about 12 per cent (from 5,317 sites in January to 5,959 sites by the end of February). ENCU indicates that the overall performance indicators (recovery, death and defaulter rates) of therapeutic interventions are also well above national and Sphere standards. Furthermore, the coverage of nutrition intervention with a combination of Therapeutic Feeding and Targeted Supplementary Feeding Programmes has increased from 69.9 per cent in January to 72.7 per cent in February in 'Priority 1' hotspot woredas. A general increase in the coverage of nutrition interventions is also reported in 'Priority1, 2 and 3' woredas in Afar, Somali, Amhara, Tigray, Oromia and SNNPR. For more information contact: isaackm@dppc.gov.et