New Report On Ethiopia from UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs: High number of measles cases despite vaccination coverage and 2015 Humanitarian Requirements Update

December 30, 2014 | Ethiopia Weekly Humanitarian Bulletin from UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

KEY EVENTS

• Measles cases continue to be reported in large numbers despite on-going Government efforts for mass immunization. More than 15,500 suspected measles cases were reported in 2014.
• The 2014 meher humanitarian needs assessment teams concluded the assessment on 21 December. Preliminary reports indicate that despite the late onset, the kiremt rains performed well in most parts of the country.
• The Food Management Taskforce’s Prioritization Committee allocated resources for the sixth relief food round for 3.2 million people nationwide.

High number of measles cases despite vaccination coverage

Measles continue to be reported in large numbers despite on-going Government efforts for mass immunization. In 2014, more than 15,500 suspected measles cases were reported in 249 woredas, of which 8,625 cases were confirmed positive. The measles incidence[1] rate increased from 3.1 in 2013 to 8.6 in 2014. 


Due to funding  shortfalls, the mass immunization campaigns conducted during the year targeted children under-5. Ideally, the target group should include all children under-15, since 68 per cent of the cases were between the ages of 5 and 15, and 32 per cent of the reported cases were children under-5. The reported measles vaccination coverage in the country is 71 per cent in 2013 and 60 per cent in 2014. For more information, contact: who-wro@et.afro.who.int

2015 Humanitarian Requirements Update

The 2015  meher humanitarian needs assessment teams concluded the assessment on 21 December. The assessment teams, comprising nearly 200 experts from Government, donor, NGOs and UN agencies visited areas that received kiremt rains and agro-pastoralist areas that received deyr/hagaya rains. With the exception of two regions, the teams discussed their findings with regional authorities last week. 

Preliminary reports indicate that despite the late onset, the kiremt rains performed well in most parts of the country. A good meher harvest is expected in these areas. In Amhara for example, the expected harvest is two per cent higher than the harvest in 2013. A reduced harvest is expected in the pocket areas that experienced below average rainfall, and in areas where unseasonal rains, pests and crop diseases damaged crops.

Assessment results, coupled with a five-year sector and weather trends analysis, and preliminary seasonal forecast by the National Meteorological Agency (NMA) will be used to project humanitarian needs in 2015. The final draft of the 2015 Humanitarian Requirements Document is scheduled to be submitted to the National Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Committee (NDPPC) for endorsement in mid-January, and the launch tentatively scheduled for the last week of January. For more information, contact ocha-eth@un.org

Resource allocated for the 6th round of relief food

Last week, the Food Management Taskforce’s Prioritization Committee proposed allocations of resources for the sixth relief food round for 2014. Some 3.2 million people, including beneficiaries in East and West Hararge zones of Oromia region (specifically considered for this round), will receive the sixth round at full ration and food basket. The corn soya blend (CSB) will be channeled through the on-going TSF program. 

As of 24 December, four of seven relief food rounds initially planned for 2014 were fully distributed. As of the same day, 65 per cent of the fifth relief food round was distributed to 3.2 beneficiaries. For more information, contact: wfp.addisababa@wfp.org
=========================================================================


 [1]The incidence rate is the number of new cases per population at risk in a given time period