Highlights
- After the third consecutive failed rainy season, the drought in southern and south-eastern parts of Ethiopia (Somali, Afar, Oromia, and Southern Nations, Nationalities and People’s Region (SNNPR)) is now significantly impacting the lives and livelihoods of 6.83 million people including 2.5 million children.
- A nutritional screening conducted by the Regional Health Bureau (RHB) across Somali Region in December 2021 revealed a proxy Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) rate of 18 per cent, higher than the global threshold of 15 per cent. Some 225,000 malnourished children and over 100,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women in Somali and Oromia currently need nutrition support.
- Measles Supplementary Immunization Activities (SIA) integrated with vitamin A supplementation and deworming campaign was launched in Tigray on 1 January 2022. A total of 690,074 children aged 6 – 59 months were vaccinated in phase I and phase II covering 95 per cent of the targeted 722,928 children.
- In Amhara, through UNICEF supply and technical support, essential health service provision to internally displaced people and affected communities has continued, 150 Emergency Drug Kits (EDKs) (enough for 375,000 medical consultations), 73 Interagency Emergency Health Kits (IEHKs), 20,000 LongLasting Insecticidal Nets (LLINs) (enough for 40,000 people), 8 generators, 57 room heaters, 1,000 reusable suction bulbs and 600 neonatal resuscitator sets were dispatched to 60 health centres and 8 hospitals as part of the health facility service restoration and recovery in conflict affected areas in the region.
Situation Overview and Humanitarian Needs
After the third consecutive failed rainy season, the drought in southern and south-eastern parts of Ethiopia (Somali,
Afar, Oromia, and Southern Nations, Nationalities and People’s Region (SNNPR)) is now significantly impacting the lives and livelihoods of 6.8 million people including 2.5 million children. The situation in the four regions is worsening: large displacement (estimated already 1.6 million IDPs); food insecurity and malnutrition (an estimated increase of roughly 20 per cent compared to the same period last year), failed crop harvests, increased drop out of schools, widespread water shortages, livestock migration, decline in livestock production and increased livestock deaths.
In Somali, over 17,000 households have reportedly displaced from Dollo, Jerer, Korahey and Nogob zones to Fafen zone with their livestock putting pressure on meagre resources in the host communities; in addition, an influx of asylum seekers was reported at the border entry points in Dollo Ado from Somalia due to a looming drought in Bakol region.
The January 2022 Hotspot classification system has identified 83 woredas as Priority 1 and 10 woredas as Priority 2, which is an increase from 69 woredas in Priority 1 identified in July 2021.
A nutritional screening conducted by the Regional Health Bureau (RHB) across Somali Region in December 2021 revealed a proxy Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) rate of 18 per cent, higher than the global threshold of 15 per cent.
Some 225,000 malnourished children and over 100,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women in Somali and Oromia currently need nutrition support.
The movement of pastoral communities in search of water has led to high absenteeism and school closures. In addition, according to woreda women and social affairs offices, with the increasing number of children migrating to different urban areas in search of means of survival, the situation has aggravated the risk of vulnerability to child labour, trafficking, child marriage and psychological distress. Currently 1,115 schools have been impacted by the drought (727 partially closed and 388 completed closed), affecting nearly 200,000 children across Somali region. While in Oromia a total of 678 schools (409 primary schools) in 11 woredas within 8 zones have been closed due to the current drought, over 220,000 students (over half girls) have been forced to drop out from school. In addition, a total of 902 schools have been closed due to conflict in the region. As a result, 850,903 (360,074 girls) students have been forced to leave school.
Moreover, 2,496 schools are at high risk of closure unless the drought situation improves. Water scarcity is at an alarming level requiring scaled-up water trucking support. In Oromia, over 904 water schemes are reported non-functional in the lowland areas, 30 per cent of these non-functional schemes require replacement of pumps and generators. Further to the above, 213 water trucks are needed to provide safe water supply across affected areas in the region, however, only 103 trucks (48% of the need) are currently providing water rationing . UNICEF is supporting 16 of the 103 water trucks in Borena, East Hararghe, West Hararghe, Guji, and West Arsi zones reaching more than 300,000 beneficiaries including IDPs. In Somali region, over 1,141 sites require water trucking support, two million people in 657 kebeles of 86 woredas are facing water shortages. Of 487 boreholes in the region, at least 87 boreholes are dysfunctional. UNICEF is currently supporting the rehabilitation of 14 strategic boreholes and water systems for emergency water supply systems (including procurement of electromechanical items). In SNNP, the residents of South Omo zone (Dasenech, Hamer, Ngangatom, Benastemaye and Malle woredas) and Konso zone are facing water shortage with over 20,000 peoples affected by drought emergency in Loka Abaya, Boricha, Bilate zuria, Derara and Hawela zuria woredas of the Sidama region and the problem is intensified due to the failure of 40 water schemes in five droughts affected woredas: out of a total of 798 non-functional water schemes in the region.
The situation in northern Ethiopia remains tense with heavy clashes reported in Afar region, along the border with Tigray.
The new conflict reported in Kilbati zone has affected six woredas of Abala, Berhale, Dalol, Erebti, Koneba and Megale.
According to the Afar regional authorities, nearly the entire population of Megale, Abala and Konaba woredas have been affected, with over 200,000 people newly displaced. According to Afar regional authorities the overall IDP case load of the region has now reached around 765,000, which is nearly 40 per cent of the total population of the region. The conflicted coupled with the looming drought has disrupted social services which is further complicating and deepening the suffering of the lives of the pastoralist community. The situation in Tigray also continues to deteriorate with the continued access constraints and clashes in areas bordering Afar and Amhara. While access within Tigray has significantly improved since July 2021, humanitarian supplies were not able to reach Tigray through the Semera-AbalaMekelle corridor, the transport of humanitarian supplies into Tigray remain on halt since 15 December 2021 causing a grave impact on the implementation of humanitarian programs. In particular several critical lifesaving supplies are running out, such as Ready to Use Food and Health kits.
The Amhara regional authorities have identified 11.6 million people in need of relief assistance in Amhara region, out of which 6.7 million are targeted to be reached with humanitarian intervention efforts through the Government and partners.
Interruptions of water supply due to power outage, increasing cases of malnutrition among children and mothers, disruptions to learning and teaching continue to be reported in the region.
In Benishangul Gumuz, with the exception of Assosa zone, the overall security situation in the region remains tense and unpredictable with armed clashes between government forces and unidentified armed groups (UAGs) recorded in Mao Komo special woreda, Metekel, and Kemashi zones. In addition, the security situation in Tongo town, Assosa zone has worsened as a result of the UAG attack on 18 January 2022, which resulted in approximately 11,000 refugees fleeing Tongo refugee camp and attempting to settle in the nearby Tsore refugee camp. Due to the ongoing conflict in the region, 43 per cent of the 289 schools are closed, with over 136,000 children out of school; 62 per cent of health posts and 33 per cent of health centers are closed and/or looted or destroyed and 1,390 water schemes (39%) are nonfunctional.
In Gambella, according to the regional Disaster Prevention and Food Security Agency (DPFSA) report, on 12 January 2022 new conflict between South Sudan government forces and rebels have increased at the border area of Pagak and South Sudan, which led to the displacement of over 9,200 people in four kebeles in Jikaow and one kebele in Lare woredas. According to the Regional Education Bureau (REB) five schools are closed in both woredas due to the intercommunal conflict.
In January 2022, there were 34 cholera cases (with no death) reported from Oromia region, Bale zone, Harena Buluk and Dollo Mena woredas. Since August 2021, a total 674 cases have been reported from Oromia region (567), Dollo Mena, Meda wolabu, and Harana Buluk woredas and Somali region (107), Kersadula woreda. Measles outbreak has been reported in 9 zones and 13 woredas of four regions, a total of 1,640 measles cases and 13 deaths with a case fatality rate of 0.8 per cent were reported in SNNP (1,005), Somali (495), Oromia (90) and Amhara (50). Deaths were reported in Somali (9) and SNNP (4). The major portion of measles cases in Somali were reported in Dollo Ado refugee reception center.
As of 31 January 2022, a total of 465,158 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 7,337 deaths (case fatality rate (CFR) 1.58%) were reported in Ethiopia since the onset of the outbreak in March 2020. A total of 398,445 patients (85.7%) have recovered, while 59,374 cases remain active cases with 272 severe cases admitted in designated treatment centres in Addis Ababa and across the regions. The trend in COVID-19 case reports has shown a reduction in the number of cases, admission and positivity rate in January 2022 as compared to the previous month. Among the variants of concern, Alpha, Beta, Delta and Omicron variants were detected in Ethiopia. Over 9.37 million people have so far received COVID-19 vaccination while a total of 10.9 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines are being administered. UNICEF supported the delivery of 22.9 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines in 2021 (from March to December) and 18 million doses in 2022 (from January to February). In total, 40.9 million doses were delivered through COVAX.
Source: UN Children’s Fund