Somaliland: Starvation Begins to Seep into Borders

[Voltage]

It seems the severe drought is now hitting Somaliland

Somaliland: Starvation Begins to Seep into Borders

http://www.unpo.org/article/13089

Crisis resources are now being rushed to the region which has become yet another victim of the drought in East Africa. International organizations are providing emergency sustenance and instituting nutrition programs in attempts to mitigate the already life-threatening situation.

Below is an article published by PR Newswire:

With famine already affecting five zones of southern Somalia, the food security situation in many areas of Somaliland - the autonomous, generally more stable region to the north - has now reached critical levels and is rapidly deteriorating. Having worked since 1991 in the region, International Medical Corps teams on the ground are already reaching severely malnourished people with lifesaving nutrition interventions in Somaliland as well as within Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya.

East Africa has experienced two consecutive dry rainy seasons which has caused extensive crop failure, high livestock mortality and skyrocketing food prices. Coupled with ongoing conflict in Somalia, a humanitarian crisis has unfolded in the region, with the UN reporting more than 390,000 children at risk of starvation.

With support from UNICEF, International Medical Corps is implementing an emergency nutrition program in the Sool and Sanaag regions of Somaliland to mitigate the effects of drought and improve the nutritional status of children under the age of five. Through six Outpatient Therapy (OTP) sites and four outreach teams covering areas where there are no static OTP sites, International Medical Corps is reaching severely malnourished children with nutrition screenings, supplementary feedings of nutrient-dense foods, and medications. The program also includes health and nutrition education that emphasizes the importance of breastfeeding and healthy hygiene and sanitation practices.

International Medical Corps teams have delivered nutrition supplies including ready-to-use foods and nutrition equipment such as height boards and weighing scales to local health centers in Somaliland. Trainings were also conducted for Ministry of Health staff on community mobilization, nutrition screening, micronutrient supplementation, vaccination and referrals. In addition, community health workers were trained on management of acute malnutrition and identification and referral of severe acute malnutrition; community nutrition workers were trained on community management of acute malnutrition; and health care providers and volunteers were trained on provision of nutrition education. As a result, International Medical Corps-supported sites screened a total 10,356 children for malnutrition in the region and admitted 630 children with severe acute malnutrition to the OTP program since its inception in May. International Medical Corps is also preparing to launch nutrition and water/sanitation/hygiene programs in Galgaduud region in Somalia.

As thousands of Somalis are fleeing across borders in search of food, water and other basic necessities, International Medical Corps is also providing a multi-faceted response throughout East Africa. Near Dolo Ado in the Somali Region of Ethiopia, more than 118,500 Somalis are seeking shelter and basic resources in refugee camps.

In Kobe camp, a UNHCR assessment has found death rates have reached alarming levels among new arrivals with an average of 10 children under the age of five dying each day.

International Medical Corps, in partnership with the Ethiopian Government's Administration for Refugee and Returnee Affairs (ARRA), has scaled up supplementary feeding services for malnourished people, including the provision of nutrient-dense therapeutic foods. To date, approximately 5,000 children and pregnant and lactating women have undergone nutritional screening and were referred to the appropriate level of therapeutic care.

International Medical Corps teams also constructed 136 latrines/washrooms with 200 more planned and have launched a hygiene campaign to thwart the spread of communicable disease in the overcrowded camps. Following reports of suspected cases of measles, measles messaging is being integrated into community outreach work at Kobe to ensure children exhibiting related symptoms are referred to local health clinics for further support.

At Kambioos refugee camp in Kenya, a part of the Dadaab Complex which is today the largest refugee camp in the world, International Medical Corps is also preparing to implement a health post with nutrition services and a maternity center.

[Cali_Gaab]

It has been suffering from drought for a very long time now and has been gradually getting worse.

[SahanGalbeed]

Nothing new here , somebody posted a map of the most severely hit regions of Somalia not too long ago and it clearly showed Sool and Sanaag as having reached the critical level .
Thank you for acknowledging Sool and Sanaag as being integral parts of Somaliland , it is shown as "contested area " in that map and remains a major point of disagreement with most of the southern somalis like you . Thanks again .

[Voltage]

Sahan, I have posted an article that is relevant to much of what I have posted in the last month. I am not responsible for what is written in it and neither does it represent my views.

[HaragWafi85]

The drought has been going on since last year or so although Somaliland government did not wait for the international community they immedietly acted and helped their people. Further more the worst drought hit areas in Somaliland are the Harti areas (Eastern Sanaag and parts of Eastern Sool).

[anonymousfaarax]

The drought has been there all along in Somalilands eastern regions.

[Oxidant]

Honestly, is there a famine really in Southern Somalia? Or is it a political tool used to demonize and further weaken Al Shabab? This famine doesn’t look as bas or severe as Ethiopia in 1984.

Maybe it is because of the response by AID agencies and UN who monitors and help prevent such scenes from occurring again.

[XimanJaale]

There is severe famine in Togdheer and Waqooyi Galbeed, I have seen video od dead animals in Horn Cable TV yesterday, I don't get why they make it out that it is CEEB to have famine these iidoor members, LOL @ them mentioning Harti land aka Sanaag and Sool as the famine hit. Pathetic

[anonymousfaarax]

There is severe famine in Togdheer and Waqooyi Galbeed, I have seen video od dead animals in Horn Cable TV yesterday, I don't get why they make it out that it is CEEB to have famine these iidoor members, LOL @ them mentioning Harti land aka Sanaag and Sool as the famine hit. Pathetic

There is a very big difference between drought and famine. There is drought in the north but no famine regardless of how many animal carcasses you have seen on tv. It is sad that you try to use the drought as a political tool for your twisted isaaq v.s. harti games.

[SahanGalbeed]

There is severe famine in Togdheer and Waqooyi Galbeed, I have seen video od dead animals in Horn Cable TV yesterday, I don't get why they make it out that it is CEEB to have famine these iidoor members, LOL @ them mentioning Harti land aka Sanaag and Sool as the famine hit. Pathetic

Seeing the pics of dead animals doesn't necessarly equate to famine , you dumb mareexan .
A famine is the widespread scarcity of food. This phenomenon is usually accompanied or followed by regional malnutrition, starvation, epidemic, etc,etc.
It is CEEB to have a famine because like it has been said here many, many times , droughts or the shortage of water supply do not automatically cause a famine.
It is the continous cycle of conflicts and the utter incapable/corrupt character of the various "governments" that rule Somalia that have caused the famine

[HaragWafi85]

XimanJaale you are the pathetic one Marehan Boy go learn the difference between drought and famine. There is no famine in Somaliland alhamdullilah as can be seen in the UN Horn of Africa Drought map july - august 2011 the famine is mainly in South Somalia (may allah help them too).

[Oxidant]

Another thing isn’t it weird that the famine hasn’t crossed over the border into Kenya and Ethiopia. That the famine is confined to borders of Somalia and exactly Al Shabab regions.

Southern Somalia is more fertile rich and more prosperous than Kenya NFD and South Eastern Regions of the Ogaden. Yet amazingly there is no famine,

[XimanJaale]

There is no famine in Somaliland cause Somaliland doesn't exist. However there is famine or severe drought in Togdheer and Waqooyi Galbeed. May Allah ease the severe drought there.

[OliveOil]

Honestly, is there a famine really in Southern Somalia? Or is it a political tool used to demonize and further weaken Al Shabab? This famine doesn’t look as bas or severe as Ethiopia in 1984.

Maybe it is because of the response by AID agencies and UN who monitors and help prevent such scenes from occurring again.

Horta, I'm curious...did Somalia donate to Ethiopia when they had that crises?

[anonymousfaarax]

Another thing isn’t it weird that the famine hasn’t crossed over the border into Kenya and Ethiopia. That the famine is confined to borders of Somalia and exactly Al Shabab regions.

There is drought in the region but famine only in South central Somalia. Kenya and ethiopia have governance and are preaceful so aid and help reaches the people.