This inter agency report has been prepared by the Office of the Resident Coordinator in Madagascar. It is based on information provided by the Malagasy National Office for Disaster Management and Preparedness (BNGRC) of the Government of Madagascar, UN Agencies, IFRC, NGOs, the Red Cross and media reports.
HIGHLIGHTS
1. The WFP airlift Operation conducted in Sofia region, a cooperation between WFP, UNICEF, IFRC, the Civil Protection Corps and the Malagasy Government, ended on 14 May. Malagasy Red Cross is continuing deliveries until 25 May. By using a MI-8 helicopter, the airlift operation was able to serve people in areas inaccessible by other means of transportation. Through the operation, WFP served 20,000 beneficiaries with 131 MT of food; UNICEF served 38.900 beneficiaries (7,780 families, of whitch 1.725 by air). Total cost of the airlift operation was 62,000 USD.
2. The latest assessment from the BNGRC, released 17 April, indicate a total number of 188,331 people affected by the cyclones Indlala and Jaya in eight regions: Diana, Sofia, Sava, Analanjirofo, Vatovavy Fitovinany, Atsimo Antsinanana, Atsinanana and Aloatra Mangoro. The number of deaths has almost doubled, with 150 people reported dead. Thirty people are still missing, and 126 are injured.
3. All projects in the second CERF application have now been approved, and he following amounts have been allocated:
- WFP - Logistics: US$ 220,000
- WFP - Food: US$ 1,000,000
- UNICEF - Water and sanitation: US$ 219,350
- UNICEF - Health: US$ 530,000
- FAO - Agriculture: US$ 202,760
4. WFP started on 18 May the data collection for an Emergency Food Security Assessment (EFSA), targeting 820 families in 82 villages, in the cyclone affected areas in the North West and South West.
5. Floods have damaged road infrastructure, making the work of the Assessment team difficult.
6. A workshop on implementation of the Cluster strategy will be conducted 25 May. The UN Country Team and IASC partners will participate.
7. The first Nutrition Cluster meeting was held on 11 May, under the leadership of the National Nutrition Office (ONN), with technical support from UNICEF. The following key nutrition actors were present: Ministry of Health, Ministry of Agriculture, BNGRC and WFP. The cluster approach was warmly welcomed by to the partners. The Nutrition Cluster is now officially operational. The next meeting is planed for June 1, to finalize the action plan and define the priority intervention zones.
8. A Water and Sanitation Cluster Coordinator from NETWAS has been appointed by UNICEF. She has conducted visits to all main partners, in order to map interventions and set the requirements for the transition between the 1st and 2nd phase. The second phase is mainly recovery of small water adduction systems, community sanitation facilities and promotion of hygiene.
9. Ambanja District: While conducting deliveries of relief goods, new affected communes have been identified. They had not been previously reported by local authorities: Ankazokony with 185 families affected; accessible by road; Madirofolo in Antsokomanondro municipality with 16 families affected, accessible by road; Ankatafa municipality 300 affected families have received water and sanitation assistance and NFI relief items by UNICEF, in collaboration with local authorities.
10. Sofia region: The newly reported affected commune of Ambolodibe East was supplied by air on 14 May. The 232 families identified have received shelter, food, non food items and education supplies for 345 pupils.
11. A Rapid Environmental Assessment, carried out after the cyclones and flooding affected the island, was released by UNEP. The report, highlighting second line risks, can be accessed on: http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/YSAR-73AMHD?OpenDocument&rc=1&cc=mdg
SECTORAL RESPONSE
Health
12. In Sofia, the distribution of the New Emergency Health Kits (NEHK) by UNICEF, as agreed with the Regional Health authorities, has been carried out. 18 kits have been distributed to health centres in 18 municipalities, covering the needs of 18,000 people for one month.
13. In Ambanja, 11 Health Centres and the District Hospital have received basic medical kits, water filters and medical supplies. Monitoring databases have been set up in the eleven health centres for nutritional, epidemiology and vaccination follow up.
14. Further to the approval of a 395,000 USD CERF funding, and the contribution of 200,000 Euro from Italy, WHO has initiated the implementation of the health support program. Drugs and medical supplies have been ordered.
15. Througout the areas that have been affected by cyclones and floods, UNFPA is conducting a training on clinic management of cases of rapes, and a training on reproductive health in case of emergency. Beneficiaries of trainings are UNFPA stakeholders, including The Malagasy Red Cross, the Department of Disaster and Emergencies at the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare. Medical doctor focal points for the districts and the regions of intervention are also following those trainings.
16. UNFPA has made possible the donation of 4 MT of medical equipment, consumable and kits for 18 maternities over 18 districts (12 in the north and 6 in the South Eastern regions). In partnership with the Malagasy Red Cross, a dispatch of Hygiene Kits benefiting 2,680 women is underway.
17. To foresee the improvement of the technical capacity of health workers, UNFPA and the Ministry of Health are conducting a rapid assessment of maternity and gynaecological wards.
Nutrition
South East:
18. Region of Vatovavy Fitovinany: In the five municipalities of Nosy-Varika district affected by cyclone Clovis, four mobile UNICEF/ONN nutrition teams have started acute malnutrition screening for children under five. 5,631 children under 5 (1/3 of the total number of children in municipalities) screened so far, 422 (7.5%) are in a state of acute malnutrition. 25 of the children are severe malnutrition cases, but no children needed hospitalization. Screening of 30,000 pregnant and lactating women is planned. The screening and surveillance activities are carried out in close collaboration with the staff of the 6 primary health facilities present in the area. The local authorities, as well as community nutrition workers belonging to National Community Nutrition Program play a leading role in mobilizing the communities to ensure an exhaustive screening. The international NGO Agro-Action Allemande (AAA) has been preparing logistic arrangements to ensure adequate distribution of food rations made available by WFP for children and women, detected as wasted by health staff.
South:
19. The Southern drought-affected populations continue to receive food support. WFP support families with malnourished children. In cooperation with partners, WFP is also conducting Food for Work activities.
20. Three SMART surveys will be conducted by the ONN and MoH, with technical and financial support from UNICEF, in the 28 municipalities of Androy, Anosy and the South West, where food and nutrition interventions have been run for about 5 months, as a result of acute food insecurity. The surveys will provide an updated picture of the nutrition situation in the areas of concern and the estimated coverage of the current feeding program, while the findings will assist in planning future nutrition interventions. Survey preparation is currently underway, and preliminary results are expected mid-June.
Food Security
21. The WFP Emergency Food Security Assessment started data collection on Friday 18 May. The assessment will be conducted in 82 villages, targeting 820 families in the affected districts Northwest and Southeast. The survey will end 6 June.
22. In coordination with CARE, WFP will assist 5,000 people with 4,6 MT of food in the Northeastern district of Maroantsetra, through FFW activities and another 2,500 people in Antalaha and surrounding areas, with 24,8 MT of food.
23. In the Northwestern district of Ambanja, WFP will in May assist 16,320 people with 102 MT of food, in collaboration with CARITAS and local dioceses. Free distribution ending 18 May, served 11,310 beneficiaries with 41.8 MT of food. WFP will now implement Food for Work activities.
24. In Mampikony, Northwest, WFP, in coordination with the Red Cross, will assist 4,000 people with 11 MTt of food.
25. In the Southeastern districts of Mananjary and Nosi Varika, WFP, in coordination with Agro Action Allemande, will start implementing Food for Work operations.
Water and Sanitation
26. Since end April, 34,895 people (6,979 families) have received WASHE supplies in the most affected villages of Sofia region. Cleaning and disinfection of 99 wells started 7 May in collaboration with the Ministry of Energy local authorities (Direction de l'Eau). 75 have been disinfected as of May 15th.
27. In the Diana region, air deliveries supplied 2,784 affected families within the Ambanja district with WASHE equipment (soap, buckets, jerry cans, water purifier, cups). In Ambanja, cleaning and disinfection of wells, school sanitation/latrines started 17 May with a team from the Ministry of Energy (Direction de l'Eau), School district authorities Heath authorities. 225 wells are targeted.
28. In the district of Maroantsetra, the French Red Cross and the Malagasy Red Cross have completed the disinfection of 320 wells (for a population of around 46,000 people). The program also integrates water and sanitation training for communities. Malagasy Red Cross volunteers have been familiarised with the problematic of hygiene in flood disasters in order to sensitize the population in risk areas. In the four most affected communes, community agents have been specifically trained on how to disinfect wells. Primary Health Centre (CSB) staff in those communes have been trained on processing potable water. Sensitization on good hygiene practices (based on WASHE messages) and good post-cyclonic behaviour will be held in the four communes of intervention.
Non-Food Items
29. In Sofia region, in addition to the NFI distributions conducted by UNICEF within the Special Operation, an agreement was signed with the Malagasy Red Cross (MRC) to accelerate distributions: MRC provides Water purifier, cups (included in kitchen set) and part of the buckets. UNICEF provides soap, buckets, blankets, cups and jerry cans as well as school items, shelters, and medical kits. Deliveries started 29 April, ending this week.
30. In Ambanja District, distribution of UNICEF NFIs is continuing with the support of ECAR (Catholic Roman and Apostolic Church).
31. In the district of Maroantsetra, the French Red Cross and the Malagasy Red Cross have distributed tents, plastic sheeting, kitchen sets, mosquito nets, blankets, bucket and soaps to vulnerable families. This distribution should cover 24,300 persons (around 4,500 families) in the four most affected communes.
Education
32. In the 7 districts of the Sofia region, UNICEF and the Civil Protection Corps have set up a total of 18 school tents (36 sqm) and 5 smaller tents (24 sqm), benefiting 6,186. The CPC also installed 2 soft buildings and 4 "temporary classrooms" (plastic sheeting and local fabric) to allow the primary school of Morafeno to organize the end of primary school (CEPE) examination in June.
33. UNICEF (CERF funded) also supported the Ministry of Education in ensuring 41,110 "children to go back to school". 154 "school in a box" sets, 22 recreation kits and 47,000 school sets have been distributed.
34. In Diana region, within the Ambanja district, 13 "school in a box" sets, 2 recreational kits and supplies (notebooks, pens and pencils) have been delivered to over 4,500 pupils. 2 school tents of 36 sqm have equally been set up last week.
Access and Logistics
35. The Civil Protection Corps have been ensuring the distribution of Food and Non Food Items with their trucks, supporting WFP and UNICEF.
36. WFP has engaged the NGO Lalana (meaning road) to do a road assessment of the secondary roads in the areas affected by the cyclones in the Northwest and Southeast. The goal is to determine which roads that should be included in future Food for Work activities. The assessment will be completed by the end of June.
COORDINATION AND ASSESSMENTS
37. In the Education sector, the process of verifying and quantifying needs for rehabilitation/building of new classrooms continues with teams from the Ministry of Education, CISCO (Education District Authorities), UNICEF, NGOs and Churches on the West and East Coast.
38. In remote villages, the majority of homes, schools and service buildings were constructed with local materials. Local district authorities have asked UNICEF and national authorities for small cash contributions in rebuilding schools, with help of communities eager to contribute and the availability of local materials. School materials have been provided and the processes set for cash transfer.
39. UNFPA is supporting the Disaster Preparedness and Mitigation National Office (BN GRC) in setting up their data base by providing a national data base specialist, as well as by donating one computer with the ArcView software and a printer.
The Resident Coordinator's Office is in close contact with the humanitarian community in Madagascar and will revert with further information as it becomes available. This situation report, together with further information on ongoing emergencies, is also available on at: http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/dbc.nsf/doc104?OpenForm&rc=1&cc=mdg
Contact details:
Colonel Jean Rakotomalala: Executive Secretary of BNGRC/CNS: E-mail: cnsmira@netclub.mg - basecns@yahoo.fr - basecns@blueline.mg
Dr. Leonard Tapsoba, WHO Representative and RC, a.i.: + 261 32 03 30 300
Ms. Krystyna Bednarska, WFP Representative and Chair of the UN Theme Group on Disaster Prevention and Management: +261 20 22 315 72
Mr. Bruno Maes, UNICEF Representative: + 261 33 11 399 36
Mr. Benoit Kalasa, UNFPA Representative: + 261 22 226 57
Mr. Jérémie Toussaint, Support to coordination, Office of the Resident Coordinator: + 261 32 074 66 68
This situation report and latest updates on emergencies and financial contributions are available through ReliefWeb 24 hours per day. Please send your documents and maps to submit@reliefweb.int to share with other humanitarian partners.