Somalia: Medair Responds to Malnutrition in Horn of Africa
Medair is monitoring the growing crisis in a region where it is already actively intervening.
Medair is in step with the U.N.’s efforts to raise the world’s concern about a rapidly growing crisis in the Horn of Africa, where 10 million people face a severe food crisis largely related to a prolonged drought, escalating food prices, and large-scale displacements due to increasing conflicts. We are pressing forward with efforts to address the humanitarian problems in Somaliland and closely monitoring the growing crisis in the greater Horn of Africa region.
In Somalia/Somaliland since 2008, Medair is no stranger to the malnutrition crisis due to drought in the region. In 2010 alone, Medair treated more than 11,000 children for malnutrition, vaccinated more than 4,000 children with DPT vaccines, educated 7,000 women about nutrition issues, trucked water to three drought-starved villages, rehabilitated six village water cisterns and 20 shallow wells, distributed 300 water filters, and much more.
With the support of the Department for International Development (U.K.), the E.C. Directorate-General for Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection, the United Nations Children’s Fund, the World Food Programme, and private donors, Medair’s current interventions include:
- Providing emergency water supplies through trucking during emergency drought response
- Distributing 3,175 jerry cans in 14 displacement camps
- Distributing 2,300 ceramic water filters to people in eight displacement camps
- Rehabilitating nine water cisterns for six targeted communities
- Constructing 400 family latrines, equipped with done slab and superstructures
- Connecting 410 household living in two displacement camps with the Burao city water system through two water kiosks with multiple taps
- Distributing more than 47,000 chlorine tablets, and 1,500 buckets in case of outbreaks
- Educating 21,000 persons living in 10 communities in healthy hygiene practices
- Providing nutritional services (community-based treatment of malnourished children) to 20 locations through mobile nutrition teams
- Supporting the Ministry of Health’s nutrition Stabilisation Centre (in-patient treatment for severely malnourished infants, aged six to 59 months, who have medical complications)
Medair is in need of additional resources to respond to the deepening crisis in the Horn of Africa. Your donation is a critical part of our response to this humanitarian disaster. To make a donation, go to: http://www.medair.org/en/donate-now/
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Medair’s Somalia/Somaliland programme is supported by the Department for International Development (U.K.), the E.C. Directorate-General for Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection, the United Nations Children’s Fund, the World Food Programme, and private donors.
Medair has been working in Somalia and Somaliland since 2008. In Burao, Somaliland, Medair provides nutritional support, health services, and improved access to water, sanitation, and hygiene to people severely impacted by chronic drought and conflict. Somaliland declared itself independent from Somalia in 1991. Its independence has not been recognised by the international community.
This report was produced with resources gathered by Medair field and headquarters staff. The views expressed herein are those solely of Medair and should not be taken, in any way, to reflect the official opinion of any other organisation.
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