Ethiopia

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ORmC43AA_qSoAP96m1YuXALYtaAcLqlP

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ORmC43AA_qSoAP96m1YuXALYtaAcLqlP

From the end of 2021 and in 2022, situation assessments are being carried out using different methodologies. The main information obtained from the Find and Treat campaign in the form of a prevalence GAM proxy based on the MUAC measure in children under 5 and pregnant and lactating women is used to analyze the situation in the most affected areas in 6 regions (458 woredas). From the data that it is available we can state that the nutritional status of children under five and pregnant and lactating women is quite fragile.

In addition, some survey data and results are available from selected woredas and rapid need assessments in areas affected by population displacement in both conflict and drought-affected areas. In Ethiopia, information is also triangulated with other available context and response data. Tracking admissions and trends of severe acute malnutrition cases and their severity is key to analyze response capacity but also to indicate increased needs and severity if the number of cases with medical complications is high, etc.

• 100% of the woredas (campaign conducted) in Somali region, and 89% in Oromia region, showed a high prevalence of global proxy acute malnutrition > 15%.
• From January to June, there has been an increase of 30% in the number of SAM cases admitted to therapeutic feeding centers compared to last year same period. The increase was more pronounced in drought affected zones of Oromia region, SNNP Somali and Afar where an increase of 61%, 51%, 36% and 35% reported respectively. Besides conflict affected regions of Tigray and Amhara also showed a significant increase which is 118% and 74% respectively. Besides SAM admissions with medical complications significantly increased in drought affected zones of Oromia by 78%, in Afar region by 257% and Somali region by 58%. The increase is anticipated to continue in the coming 2 to 3 months which are lean season for most of drought affected areas.

Factors contributing to a high number of cases of acute malnutrition and death include overburdened health facilities, lack of sanitation and safe drinking water, limited content and frequency of food aid and the upsurge of measles and other communicable diseases due to cross-border mobilities.

In summary, overall country wide, from January to June 2022:

A total of 324,461 children with severe acute malnutrition are admitted to therapeutic feeding programme units. This makes 40 percent of the HRP target for the year for severe acute malnutrition cases management. The number of health facilities reporting activity for SAM care, in June was of 19,614. This figure changes depending on the region.

Besides more than 1.6 million children with moderate acute malnutrition and pregnant and lactating women malnourished have been assisted translated to 49.5 percent of the HRP target for moderate acute malnutrition treatment has been accomplished.

Overall, the cluster achievement for the semester is 43.6 percent.

In Somali and Oromia (western part) the drought is increasing the burden and the severity of cases of malnutrition in children and pregnant and lactating women. Furthermore, outbreaks spikes, and mobility context are increasing risk for the most vulnerable. During the months of July and August it is expected the number of malnutrition cases to rise.

The burden of cases of acute malnutrition as well as the increased risk of death are accentuated when the risk and cases of disease increase, when services are not accessible and/or are saturated, when there is no access to safe water and sanitation is not it is appropriate.  Furthermore, if food is not available, if the content of food aid is insufficient, families do not produce, they have lost their livestock, there is not enough milk and livelihoods are lost, the nutritional status -already weakened- of the youngest children and of pregnant and lactating women is severely affected. Without a holistic response and intersectoral collaboration it will not be possible to reduce the severity of the cases.

Nutrition cluster as well as WASH, Food, Health and Agriculture cluster are reinforcing the intersectoral collaboration for a more effective and holistic package of interventions and modalities of joint response in drought affected areas.