SOMALIA DART SITUATION REPORT 6 NUTRITION IN

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 NAIROBI 000369 SIPDIS AIDAC USAID/DCHA FOR MHESS, WGARVELINK, LROGERS DCHA/OFDA FOR KLUU, GGOTTLIEB, AFERRARA, ACONVERY, CGOTTSCHALK, KCHANNELL DCHA/FFP FOR WHAMMINK, JDWORKEN AFR/AFR/EA FOR JBORNS STATE/F FOR ASISSON STATE FOR AF/E AND PRM STATE/AF/E FOR NGARY STATE/PRM FOR AWENDT, MMCKELVEY NSC FOR TSHORTLEY USUN FOR TMALY BRUSSELS FOR PLERNER GENEVA FOR NKYLOH USMISSION UN ROME FODAG FOR RNEWBERG SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID PREF PHUM PREL SO SUBJECT: SOMALIA DART SITUATION REPORT 6 NUTRITION IN SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL REGIONS NAIROBI 00000369 001.2 OF 005 SUMMARY ¶1. In 2006, nutrition surveys revealed high rates of malnutrition in Bakool, Bay, Gedo, Lower Juba, and Middle Juba, while Hiraan, the Shabelle Valley, and parts of central Somalia had slightly better rates. In response, the UN Children?s Fund (UNICEF),the UN cluster lead for nutrition, is scaling-up supplemental feeding programs and is introducing community therapeutic care (CTC) initiatives. However, UNICEF reports that Juba and Shabelle riverine areas and Bay Region lack sufficient nutritional program coverage. The USG Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) recommends the integration of health, nutrition, livelihood, and water, sanitation, and hygiene interventions in order to produce sustainable achievements in the nutrition sector. End Summary. ¶2. The following cable reviews nutritional trends in 2006, analyzes factors that may affect the food security and nutritional status of Somali communities in the coming months, and makes recommendations for nutrition programs. The DART is closely monitoring the impact of flooding and conflict on nutritional indicators as well as the progress of interventions to improve malnutrition rates in Somalia. OVERVIEW OF NUTRITION IN SOMALIA ¶3. According to the 2007 UN Consolidated Appeals Process (CAP),approximately 60,000 children under five years of age are in need of nutritional support in Somalia, with the majority residing in southern and central regions. Somalia?s nutrition indicators continue to be poor following successive years of drought, flooding, and conflict. Technical capacity, community support, and the transition of non-government supported nutrition programs to a functioning system under the Somali Transitional Federal Government (TFG) are primary concerns for the nutrition sector. ¶4. UNICEF is the lead agency coordinating activities in the nutrition cluster. As the lead agency, UNICEF monitors and reports on outcomes of nutrition surveys, identifies geographic priorities for nutrition support services, makes recommendations for nutrition assessments and surveys, identifies gaps in nutrition interventions, reviews and formulates survey guidelines, and establishes nutrition intervention policies and priorities. UNICEF works closely with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization?s (FAO) Food Security Analysis Unit (FSAU),and other agencies providing nutritional support services. FSAU routinely monitors the nutritional status of children through formal nutritional surveys as well as through sentinel site surveillance, which highlights trends in malnutrition levels over time. ¶5. At the January UN nutrition sector meeting, aid agencies reported that the immediate impact of recent conflict on the current nutritional situation was minimal. However, the November-December floods are expected to have an impact on the availability of food resources in the coming months because the high water levels destroyed crops, irrigation canals, underground food and seed stores, and interrupted transport of commercial and relief food. NAIROBI 00000369 002.2 OF 005 RECENT NUTRITION STUDIES ¶6. The emergency thresholds for malnutrition are global acute malnutrition (GAM) rates exceeding 15 percent and severe acute malnutrition (SAM) rates greater than 1 percent. According to UNICEF and FSAU nutrition surveillance reports, across the conflict and flood-affected regions of southern and central Somalia, malnutrition rates of 15 percent and higher persist. ¶7. In December, a cluster survey conducted by UNICEF, FSAU, and the non-governmental organization (NGO) International Medical Corps (IMC) in El Barde District of Bakool Region showed a GAM rate of 17.7 percent and a SAM rate of 3.2 percent, signifying a critical situation. A similar study conducted in the same district two years ago showed only slightly lower rates of 15.7 percent GAM and 1.3 percent SAM. While direct comparison of the studies is not feasible due to the different times of the year the studies were undertaken, the rise in GAM and SAM rates indicates a trend of increasing acute malnutrition in the region. ¶8. In February 2006, in Wajid District of Bakool Region, Action Contre la Faim (ACF),UNICEF, and FSAU conducted a nutrition assessment of 142 children from two internally displaced person (IDP) camps in Wajid town. The assessment found 27 percent GAM and 8.6 percent SAM. While the assessment sample was small, the results did provide alarming information on the nutritional status of these IDP children. In response, the UN World Food Program (WFP) commenced food distribution, and Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF)- Belgium assisted the severely malnourished through their therapeutic feeding program. Research found that many of these families had migrated from Gedo and Bay regions during the drought in search of water and animal fodder. ¶9. In Bay Region, FSAU analyzed nutritional data from 15 sentinel sites that was collected from January 2006 to June 2006. Data from these sites indicated a high proportion of malnourished children, with GAM rates as high as 28 percent in Baidoa, Burakaba, and Berdale districts. While this data is not as accurate as a formal nutritional survey, it does provide a picture of the ongoing nutritional situation of children under the age of five over several months. ¶10. In March 2006, a formal nutrition survey was conducted in northern Gedo Region that showed rates of 23.8 percent GAM and 3.7 percent SAM. In May 2006, Bardera town in southern Gedo Region was surveyed and results indicated a similar situation with rates of 19 percent GAM and 3.9 percent SAM. While this data was collected at the end of the dry season (after two years of poor crop harvest),it does highlight the need for nutritional support programs in this region. ¶11. Lower and Middle Juba regions also have alarming malnutrition rates. The Juba River basin has suffered significantly from drought, ongoing inter-clan conflict, and a paucity of NGO-supported health and nutrition interventions, which is in part due to inaccessibility and insecurity. In May 2006, FSAU and UNICEF surveyed Afmadow District, Lower Juba Region, and reported 22 percent GAM and 4.2 percent SAM. During the same month, MSF-Holland conducted a similar NAIROBI 00000369 003.2 OF 005 nutrition survey in Marere, Middle Juba Region, that showed rates of 16.2 percent GAM and 4.2 percent SAM. Also during May and just north of the location of MSF?s survey, World Vision and UNICEF conducted a nutrition survey in Sacco District and found rates of 21.9 percent GAM and 6.6 percent SAM. ¶12. In central Somalia, Galgadud District has malnutrition rates ranging from 15 to 19 percent GAM and Mudug District 10 to 14 percent GAM. Causes for these high rates are consistent with those identified in southern regions, while a stronger social support system of a more homogeneous clan structure prevents these rates from worsening. ¶13. In 2006, data from the sentinel sites in Hiraan and the Shabelle Valley regions show a somewhat better picture, indicating lower levels of malnutrition when compared with neighboring regions. These regions had GAM rates of less than 10 percent. In these regions, dietary diversity exists; more households consume micronutrient-rich foods such as fruits and vegetables, and have low morbidity levels, which are linked to their healthier nutritional situation. ¶14. In 2006, the nutritional surveys reviewed indicate critical situations in Bakool, Bay, Gedo, Lower Juba, and Middle Juba, while Hiraan, the Shabelle Valley, and parts of central Somalia had slightly better rates. CAUSES OF POOR NUTRITION IN SOMALIA ¶15. Poor diet and the presence of communicable diseases contribute to the high malnutrition rates in Somalia. The high disease prevalence is related to limited access to preventive and curative health services, lack of sanitary facilities, and consumption of water from unsafe sources such as rivers, surface water, unprotected wells, and water catchments. Additionally, poor breastfeeding and weaning practices, lack of diversity in diet, and limited consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables also contribute to poor nutrition. NUTRITION REPONSE ACTIVITIES ¶16. As the lead nutrition agency, UNICEF is currently scaling-up supplemental feeding programs (SFPs) and has increased the number of SFPs in Gedo, Bakool, and Middle Juba regions through partnerships with local and international NGOs. UNICEF has begun to adopt the CTC approach to address severe malnutrition and has partnered with a number of local and international NGOs to roll out CTC, primarily in southern and central Somalia. CTC allows mothers of severely malnourished children to provide ready-to-use therapeutic food to their children at home, decreasing the burden that residential care brings to the family. ¶17. IMC, ACF, World Vision, and MSF are some of the agencies moving away from the traditional residential therapeutic feeding programs to the CTC approach and report initial success. ¶18. According to UNICEF, regions in southern Somalia that remain underserved for supplemental and therapeutic feeding programs are Juba and Shabelle riverine areas and Bay Region. NAIROBI 00000369 004.2 OF 005 ¶19. UN agencies and NGOs have recently reported difficulties in getting supplies to nutrition programs in Somalia due insecurity and the Kenya-Somalia border closure. While in-country stocks are adequate for the short-term, unless stocks are replenished soon, shortages may occur. COMPLEMENTARY ACTIVITIES ¶20. Health, nutrition, livelihood, and water, sanitation, and hygiene interventions need to be integrated to produce sustainable achievements in the nutrition sector. For example, increasing access to safe drinking water will have a direct impact on community-level health and nutrition status. Nutrition and health education for mothers on optimal breastfeeding, weaning, and basic sanitation practices will also affect family nutrition and household health. Additionally, increasing access to preventive and curative health and nutrition services, including vaccination and maternal child health services, helps to mitigate high malnutrition rates. ¶21. While it is too soon to determine the full impact that the flooding and conflict have had on food security, flood recovery efforts remain a priority for the humanitarian community, as these will have a direct impact on household food availability. Recessional planting, riverbank rehabilitation (a priority before the onset of the long rains in March),desilting of wells, decontamination of water points, and rebuilding of sanitary facilities are complementary activities that will also help to improve the nutritional situation in Somalia. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ¶22. The DART recommends supporting the closer integration of nutrition, health, and livelihood initiatives with water, sanitation, and hygiene activities to enhance the resilience of vulnerable populations. ¶23. The DART also supports the UNICEF CTC strategy of treating severely malnourished children through partnerships with local and international NGOs. ¶24. In 2007, nutrition will continue to be among USAID?s Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance?s (USAID/OFDA) funding priorities along with health, livelihood, and water, sanitation, and hygiene sectors. USAID will prioritize funding of multi-sectoral strategies. An example of a multi-sectoral approach is a water, sanitation, and hygiene project that uses well-water runoff for community gardens, which enhance dietary diversity and provide a source of income for women selling produce. Another successful approach is a feeding program that links mothers of malnourished infants to income-generation activities. ¶25. The DART will continue to monitor nutrition indicators and support implementing partners in the nutrition sector. The DART will also closely monitor nutrition supply stocks and advocate with the UN, the TFG, the Government of Kenya, and air transport organizations to facilitate the transport of life- saving humanitarian supplies. NAIROBI 00000369 005.2 OF 005 RANNEBERGER