Nigeria: Borno State - Weekly Situation Report No. 11 (As of 27 August 2021)

HIGHLIGHTS

• At least three children killed, five others wounded in unexploded ordnance blast in Ngala Local Government Area (LGA).

• Health partners deploy vital cholera and medical kits to Pulka town following reports of acute water diarrhea (AWD) cases

• Acute water diarrhea (AWD) fatalities reported in Damboa LGA where major health and water sanitation and hygiene (WASH) gaps persist for over 300,000 civilians

• Increasing influx of new arrivals and flash flooding incidents trigger shelter shortages in Bama and Banki camps

SITUATION OVERVIEW

Increasing influx of new arrivals and flash flooding trigger shelter shortages in Bama LGA

An influx of new arrivals, including those rescued by the military during counter-operations and others coming from inaccessible locations, is stretching shelter facilities and services in the Government Senior Secondary School (GSSS) camp in Bama LGA. In the last month alone, some 928 (366 households) arrived at the already congested camp reception center, without individual shelters. The State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) also informed that another batch of over 500 new arrivals, including former combatants and their families who recently “surrendered” to the military, will arrive at the GSSS camp in the coming days and weeks. The shelter situation is further aggravated by recent flash flooding incidents from heavy downpours, which damaged or destroyed several shelters and critical WASH facilities affecting hundreds of IDP families. In Banki town, one person was killed and four others injured in heavy rainfalls that destroyed 91 shelters during the week. Bama and Banki towns are among the most congested IDP sites where partners are struggling with limited space to support the increasing population influx and also mitigate risks of water-borne disease outbreaks during the ongoing rainy season. Shelter partners are planning to carry out a rapid assessment of the damaged shelters in the coming days.

Acute water diarrhea (AWD) cases reported in Damboa LGA where major health and WASH gaps persist for over 300,000 civilians

More than 30 suspected cases of acute watery diarrhea (AWD) have been reported in recent weeks across camps and host communities in Damboa LGA where partners are struggling with funding shortfalls, insecurity along supply routes and limited presence of state health and WASH actors to scale up critical services for over 300,000 civilians during the ongoing rainy season. Despite the large civilian population including recent influx of new arrivals, only six partner-run health facilities are operational in the LGA with no capacity for secondary health care services. The General Hospital which could potentially provide health care services is non-functional and is currently occupied by IDPs facing shelter shortages. Movement of vital health and nutrition supplies has been challenging for partners due to worsening insecurity, with non-state armed groups (NSAGs) mounting illegal vehicle checkpoints (IVCPs) along supply routes leading delays and shortages of vital health and WASH kits. Some four fatalities suspected to be AWD were reported last week although there has not been any confirmation as the cases were managed at home. Efforts including a UNDP-led dam project and water trucking are being intensified to ameliorate the situation while immediate funding, increased presence and engagement of government (to enable the sinking of more boreholes and reactivation of the General Hospital) and timely approval of military escort services are critical to stabilizing the situation. The OCHA-led inter-sector coordination group (ISCG) is following up with WASH and health sectors to explore immediate measures to ramp up services as the rainy season enters its peak.