Situation Update
Further to the last situation update , Somalia continues to be one of the worst-affected countries, as forecast by the Famine Early Warning Systems (FEWS) Network and the International Red Cross, famine is likely to be declared in late 2017 in the state of Puntland, Somaliland and South West, Somalia.
In Somalia, over 3.2 million people are facing crisis and emergency* levels of food insecurity. The health indicators of infant and young child feeding, as well as nutritional status in Somalia became the worst in the world with over 300,000 children suffer from acute malnutrition. In the state of Puntland, it is estimated that 22% children under 5 year-old suffered from moderate to severe acute malnutrition. Health services, nutritional supplements and food parcels to the vulnerable children and families are most needed. Similar situation is also soon seen in other areas such as in the Somaliland.
Apart from Somalia, situation in Ethiopia continued to be intense, 7.7 million people are in need of food assistance, the number is 2.2 million higher than 2016 due to continuous stress in water. Pastoralist communities in southern and south-eastern lowland areas have suffered heavy livestock losses and reduced access to food. More than 303,000 children are suffering from acute malnutrition.
*The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification by FEWS indicated the severity of food insecurity. Many of the areas in Somalia are facing at least Crisis (Phase 3) level of food insecurity. Every 1 of 5 households in these areas have high food consumption gaps and acute malnutrition, depletion or extreme loss of livelihood assets lead to these gaps.
Hong Kong Red Cross Actions
- The Hong Kong Red Cross (HKRC) has launched an appeal on 5-18 June 2017 to call for support from the Hong Kong public to the Africa food crisis operation. Thanks to the generous support from the Hong Kong public, we have received accumulative donation amounting to over HK$400,000 as of 2 July 2017.
- From 27 May to 26 June 2017, a HKRC staff has been deployed to Ethiopia to support the International Red Cross’s drought and food crisis relief operation.
- During March to June 2017, HKRC has mobilized HK$ 2.57 million to support International Red Cross on the food crisis operations in South Sudan, Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia. Total 7,739 people are beneficiated.
- Within which, in Somalia, apart from immediate relief response, HKRC is supporting 3,177 malnutrition children for nutritional treatment for 3 months in Puntland.
Red Cross Red Crescent Actions
The International Red Cross is currently appealing for HKD 3.69 billion to support the humanitarian operations in 11 African countries, including Cameroon, Chad, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Zimbabwe. As of April 2017, over 5.1 million people affected by the food crisis have been reached.
- 1,519,000 people have received food parcels, nutritional supplements or cash assistance for purchasing food.
- 801,000 people* have received livelihood assistance, including provision of farming tools, fishing nets and livestock vaccination services.
- 2,088,000 people have improved access to clean water.
- 441,000 people have accessed to health services.
- 83,500 people have received hygiene promotion.
- 133,000 people have received essential household items, sleeping and shelter materials due to food crisis or conflict caused displacement
- 2,000 people have been benefited from mental health and psychosocial support services
- 23,000 displaced people who lost contact with their families due to displacement have been benefited from restore family link services and tracing services
- 79,000 malnourished detainees received food, water and other assistance
- 4,000 people received dissemination messages of International Humanitarian Law to ensure timely response in food crisis especially in conflict affected regions
*number adjusted from last report due to re-categorization of number of beneficiaries to cash assistance.
General Enquiry
Please call 2802 0016, fax to 2802 0017 or email to relief@redcross.org.hk.
