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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Between September through December 2015, FSNAU conducted 40 standard nutrition assessments across most regions and livelihood zones of Somalia, covering displaced, urban and rural populations. The assessment covered 27 455 Children (6-59 months) from 16 538 households. Both Weight-for-Height and MUAC measurements were taken for the 34 surveys while, only Mid-Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) measurement was taken in the remaining 6 surveys due to security constraints.
The national median GAM and SAM during this reporting period are 12.2 percent and 2.2 percent respectively. According to livelihood disaggregation, 11 out of 34 livelihoods surveyed using Weight-for-Height Z-Score, the prevalence of acute malnutrition is considered Critical and exceeds the UN trigger for emergency action (Global Acute Malnutrition-GAM ≥ 15%) while Serious levels of GAM (≥10 to <15%) were observed in 16 out of 34 population groups surveyed. Alert level of GAM (≥5 to <10%) were reported in the remaining seven.
Highest prevalence of acute malnutrition (based on Weight for Height Z-Scores) was recorded among Dolow IDPs (25.0% GAM) and Guban Pastoral Livelihood Zone (22.3% GAM). Critical to Very Critical levels of acute malnutrition were also recorded among rural livelihoods of South Gedo Pastoral (Gedo Region) and Coastal Deeh (Central Regions) based on MUAC measurements (i.e. 10.7% or more of children having a Mid-Upper Arm Circumference-MUAC below the 12.5 centimetres threshold).
Over the past seven consecutive seasons, Critical levels of GAM were sustained among the following population groups: Garowe IDPs (Nugaal Region), Galkayo IDPs (Mudug Region), Mataban and Beletweye Districts (pastoral parts of Hiran Region), North Gedo Pastoral (Gedo Region), North Gedo Riverine (Gedo Region) and Dolow IDPs (Gedo Region). Sustained Critical level of GAM in the above mentioned areas is symptomatic of the protracted nature of the nutrition crisis among these population groups and calls for multifaceted interventions that address contributing factors and underlying causes of acute malnutrition in these areas. Relative nutritional improvements in population groups such as IDPs located in Mogadishu were observed in recent seasons, primarily due to sustained humanitarian interventions which could be reversed if humanitarian assistance is scaled down as witnessed during the Gu 2014.
The overall stunting prevalence in the 2015 Deyr assessment in Somalia is 8.9 percent and is considered Low (<20%). However, there are major differences between different parts and population groups of the country: 12.6 percent in South and Central Somalia; 7.7 percent in the Northeast; 2.7 percent in the Northwest; and 14.9 percent among IDPs across the country. Stunting in this particular season is not therefore, a public health problem in Somalia as most population groups reported Low (<20%) to Medium (20-30%) stunting prevalence with the exception of Kismayo IDPs that reported Very High (>40%) prevalence. The overall Underweight prevalence in Somalia is 11.1 percent and is considered to be Medium (10-19.9%), with substantial variation across the three zones: 13.5 percent in South and Central Somalia; 10.2 percent in the Northeast and 5.8 percent in the Northwest. However, Kismayo IDP reported 30.1 percent underweight prevalence which is considered Very High (>30%); High underweight prevalence (20-20.9%) was also observed in Bay agro-pastoral livelihood (20.4%), Baidoa IDPs (23.6%), Dolow IDPs (29.7), Garowe IDPs (24.0%) and Galkacyo IDPs (21.4%).
Concurrent to the nutrition assessments, 36 out of the 40 study population groups were targeted for mortality assessments. The results from these surveys indicated that 34 of the surveys showed Acceptable levels of Under-Five Death Rate (U5DR). However, Mogadishu IDPs and Guban Pastoral had Under-Five Death Rate (U5DR) exceeding 1/10 000/day which is considered as an Alert situation.