Attachments
Highlights
• From 6 October to 17 November, Viet Nam's central region was hit by seven consecutive tropical storms and cyclones, which brought sustained heavy rain resulting in devastating landslides and cascading floods, affecting an estimated 7.7 million people living in ten provinces, including 2.5 million children.
• UNICEF procured over 60 tons of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF). The RUTF is providing treatment for children with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) in six affected provinces, namely Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, and Kon Tum. National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) and commune health centers are distributing RUTF to children with SAM in these provinces. With UNICEF's technical assistance, NIN completed a series of rapid training for 660 frontline health staff who conducted SAM screening for children under five in the communities. To date, 3,606 children with SAM and 2,629 with moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) were identified and treated.
• UNICEF supported the National Centre for Rural Water Supply and Sanitation (NCERWASS) in distribution of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) supplies to 3,232 poor households, 87 commune health centers and 36 schools in 33 communes, including installation of reverse osmosis water filters for schools and provision of ceramic water filters, water tanks and hand sanitizer among the affected population. This is the second batch of WASH supplies to three central provinces of Ha Tinh, Quang Binh and Quang Tri. To date, 81,507 people, including women and children, have benefited from the UNICEF supported WASH response.
• UNICEF has procured and is distributing 3,400 dignity kits in Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai and Kon Tum provinces for vulnerable children and women with essential gendersensitive supplies for personal safety and hygiene, including information materials on how to stay safe and prevent family separation as a consequence of disasters.
• UNICEF procured 900 early childhood development (ECD) kits which will be distributed to the most affected students and schools, with a special focus on remotely located satellite schools.
• UNICEF continues to work closely with national and local counterparts to ensure a coordinated and systemic response to the crisis. The effort includes strengthening disease outbreak and nutrition surveillance systems, providing micronutrients to mothers and children, accountability toward affected population, and inclusive and culturallysensitive messaging promoting life-saving practices on health, nutrition, protection, and WASH.