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Mozambique + 1 more

Mozambique: Humanitarian Situation Report, January – June 2017

Attachments

Highlights

  • During the first half of 2017, 369,042 children were screened for acute malnutrition and 23,631 severely acute malnourished (SAM) children were treated with UNICEF support.

  • UNICEF supported 8,050 conflict returnees from Malawi, living in a camp in Tete, with 1,610 hygiene kits and the construction of 130 emergency latrines in collaboration with National Institute for Disaster Management -Tete

  • 7,500 children were assisted with temporary learning spaces through the construction of TARPA Tents in Inhambane

  • Integrated Phase Classification for Acute Malnutrition (May 2017), found 2 districts (Chiure and Namuno) in a critical situation (Phase 4); 3 districts (Mutarara, Ancuabe and Macossa) in alert/serious (Phase 2/3); and 1 district (Morrumbala) in alert situation (Phase 2); all southern districts classified as acceptable (Phase 1). As the critical phase of the drought has passed, UNICEF is now engaged in the recovery phase in most parts of the country while continuing to address high caseloads hot spots.

Situation in Numbers

1.5 million People affected by drought

795,000 Children affected by drought

246,000 Children Under five affected by drought

145,040 People targeted by UNICEF WASH interventions

UNICEF Appeal 2017 US$ 10 million

Situation Overview & Humanitarian Needs

The El Niño drought emergency underscored the humanitarian crisis in Mozambique. Following two consecutive years of failed rains, particularly in the southern provinces of the country, the food security and nutritional situation in the country went from 1.5 million food insecure people in March 2016 to 2.1 million in November 2016, according to the Technical Secretariat for Food Security and Nutrition’s (SETSAN) assessments. Of the 2.1 million people facing food insecurity and nutrition crisis, SETSAN estimated that about 1.2 million required humanitarian assistance up to March 2017, as this figure was the basis for the revision of the Humanitarian Country Team’s (HCT) strategic response plan (SRP).
Following the May 2017 assessment, this figure has been revised downwards to 350,000. In addition, the revised SRP included a contingency for 190,000 persons likely to be affected by floods and cyclone.

The Technical Secretariat for Food Security and Nutrition (SETSAN) published the latest food security and nutrition assessment conducted in March and April 2017 (SMART surveys in three districts and Rapid Assessments using MUAC in 17 districts). Integrated Phase Classification for Acute Malnutrition (IPC-AM) was conducted in 20 districts in May 2017.
The results of the IPC-AM analysis classified two districts (Chiure and Namuno) in a critical situation (Phase 4); three districts (Mutarara, Ancuabe and Macossa) are in alert/serious (Phase 2/3); one district (Morrumbala) as alert (Phase 2); with the southern districts as acceptable (Phase 1). (Figure 1). While assessed, no statistically significant variation in malnutrition cases was found between girls and boys.

The IPC-AN analysis projection for the period from May to September 2017 considers that the situation is likely to improve with some districts, improving from critical to alert/serious situation to acceptable. There may be no phase changes in Ancuabe, Namuno and Mutarara (figure 2) as the underlying causes are less well understood.

The projected improvement of the nutrition situation, based on the IPC analysis is likely due to an improvement of food availability and access (including self-sufficient production), decrease in food prices (cereals) and decrease of childhood illness (diarrhoea, malaria). In contrast, the forecast for the lean season (October – February) the situation may deteriorate in two additional districts (Cahora Bassa, Mopeia). These trends are consistent with the number of children with acute malnutrition detected during outreach sessions.

In February 2017, Cyclone Dineo struck Inhambane and affected 600,000 people which increased the urgency and need for critical Food Security, Nutrition, WASH, Education,
Health and Protection interventions. The humanitarian landscape for the 2016/2017 emergency season in Mozambique was both complex in its diversity of events (drought, floods, cyclone, cholera, IDPs, conflict) and in terms of humanitarian needs. The humanitarian situation resulted in changes in the humanitarian architecture to provide increased coordination among partners and efficiency in the implementation and delivery of humanitarian action. The role of UNICEF as cluster lead has been prominent both in chairing the inter-agency cluster coordination group (ICCG) and as a member of the HCT core group. In this capacity, UNICEF has been a voice for stronger coordination and pro-active engagement of all partners’ contributions and views.