West and Central Africa: Weekly Regional Humanitarian Snapshot (12 - 18 July 2016)

CAMEROON

FAO CALLS FOR VIGILANCE OVER BIRD FLU

FAO has urged Western and Central African governments to maintain vigilance following the recent avian influenza outbreak in Cameroon. FAO is working closely with the WHO and the World Organisation for Animal Health to offer assistance such as risk assessments, contingency planning, technical advice and laboratory material. The recent outbreak in Cameroon has brought the number of countries that have battled bird flu in West and Central Africa to six, with Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Niger and Nigeria having reported cases previously.

CHAD

RELOCATION OF CAR REFUGEES UNDERWAY

The relocation of more than 6,000 Central African refugees in southern Chad begun on 15 July. They are being moved inland from the border areas where they settled after fleeing violence back home in early June. More than 700 refugees had by 16 July voluntarily registered to be part of the first wave of relocation. Authorities have guaranteed access to arable land to sustain livelihoods and food security as WFP food distributions are unlikely to continue due to lack of funding.

DR CONGO

CHOLERA ERUPTS IN TANGANYIKA PROVINCE

As of 18 July, 359 cases of cholera including 3 fatalities had been reported in Nyemba and Kalemie health districts in the eastern Tanganyika province. Nyemba health district has treated 150 cases with two fatalities. More than 30 chlorination points have been installed. The epidemic is caused partly by the breakdown of a water pumping station that supplies Kalemie town.

NIGERIA

SEVERELY MALNOURISHED CHILDREN RISK DEATH

Nearly a quarter of a million children in the north-eastern Borno State are severely malnourished and face a high risk of death. Of the 244,000 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition, around 49,000, or almost 1 in 5, will die if they receive no treatment, UNICEF said on 19 July, calling for concerted efforts by humanitarian organizations and donors to tackle the crisis.
The scale of human suffering inflicted by Boko Haram-related conflict is becoming more apparent as areas previously held by the armed group become accessible.

SIERRA LEONE

POSTMORTEM EVD TESTING ENDS

Sierra Leone declared on 15 July that it would stop the mandatory testing of all dead bodies for the Ebola virus, lifting a restriction put in place at the end of an outbreak that claimed thousands of lives. Swabs of saliva were ordered to be systematically taken from any recently deceased person from November 2015, as part of a period of heightened surveillance. From now on, only deaths that meet the criteria set by the Ministry of Health will be investigated and swabbed. WHO declared the end of active Ebola transmission in the country on 17 March.