Highlights
• Despite the recent, prolonged flooding, there was a 22 per cent decrease in reported diarrhoea cases. Meanwhile, first curative out-patient clinic (OPD) consultations increased by 9 per cent in comparison to August. This data is a good sign that utilization and therefore, trust is increasing throughout the COVID-19 pandemic via infection prevention control (IPC) measures.
• Hygiene interventions reached 137,000 people through hygiene promotion messaging, construction of handwashing facilities in schools and distribution of WASH supplies including menstrual hygiene management (MHM) kits to 5,000 adolescent girls in 18 schools in Bay and Gedo regions.
• Community education centres (CECs) and teachers were trained on COVID-19 preventive measures and have been critical in supporting the re-opening of schools by ensuring preventive measures are in place.
• Unaccompanied and separated children received family tracing and reunification services including alternative care support with 367 children realizing their fundamental right to a family in September.
• In September, 15,755 children were treated with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) in UNICEF supported programmes.
Situation Overview & Humanitarian Needs
Since late June 2020, over 250,000 people have been affected by floods in Hirshabelle, South West and Jubaland states. Humanitarian partners (including UNICEF) have responded to the flooding with distributions of WASH and NFI supplies, water trucking and sanitation rehabilitation. The impact of the triple threat of floods, desert locusts and COVID- 19 has been estimated to have put 5.2 million people in need of humanitarian assistance in 2020, with an estimated 2.1 million people likely to face Crisis or worse (IPC 3 or higher) outcomes between September and December 20201. Compounding the impact of the floods, the desert locust infestation, had been expected to affect the overall food security through damage to crops and pasture within the country however analysis has shown that the impact on child nutrition is so far limited2. The results of the Ministry of Health and UNICEF conducted national micronutrient survey which was undertaken in 2019 were released in late August 2020, the first since 2009. Notwithstanding improvements made over the past decade, nearly 1 in 5 children show signs of chronic malnutrition in Somalia, and 1 in 10 are acutely malnourished. In September the measles and polio vaccination campaign, which was started in August continued, targeting children under 5 years of age. The campaign aims to reduce the occurrence of measles outbreaks in Somalia.