Humanitarian Action in Darfur Weekly Bulletin No. 25

Needs and response by sector

EDUCATION

North Darfur

– With UNICEF funding the Child Friendly Community Initiative (CFCI) completed the construction of six (6) semi-permanent classrooms in Abu Zerega and four (4) permanent classrooms in Um Marahik village benefiting 500 children.

HEALTH AND NUTRITION

North Darfur

– With UNICEF support the State Ministry of Health (SMoH) Reproductive Health Department visited Kutum Rural hospital. Advice and support was given to 10 midwives and 15 health visitors.

– As part of the World Health Organization (WHO) main objective of increasing access to primary health care and referral systems, several training activities were carried out with partners. With support from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the WHO 20 health workers from the Maternity Hospital underwent a refresher-training on clinical management of rape cases. The same training session was attended by 10 health staff of GOAL from Kutum.

– WHO continues to support the SMoH and partners to plan for the rainy season. Required medical supplies and drugs are being prepositioned in high-risk areas.

– Support to rural and state hospitals continues amid the tense security situation in Darfur. WHO supported Kabkabiya Rural Hospital with x-ray films, while laboratory reagents were donated to the El Fasher Maternity hospital. This will enhance the laboratory capacity of the hospital and will enable the hospital to provide free access of IDPs to quality laboratory services.

– Partners such as the Sudan Social Development Organisation (SUDO), Mercy Malaysia and Humanitarian Aid Development (HAD) working in Zam Zam IDP Camp were supported by the WHO with drugs and medical supplies. Kutum hospital was also supported with essential drugs to ensure free access of services for IDPs.

– WHO provided technical support in drugs management to UNFPA by installing an electronic database system. The system will help in monitoring and controlling reproductive health drugs consumption. The officer in-charge of reproductive health supplies management was trained on how to use the database.

– With support from the WHO, 525 health promoters in 12 localities will be trained on environmental health and health promotion in El Fasher locality.

South Darfur

– Nutritional supplies of nutritional paste (Plumpynut – 598 cartons), F755 (30 cartons), F100 (250 cartons) and Resomal (12 cartons) have been released to UNICEF partners CARE International, World Vision, Tearfund and the SMoH. Additionally, a blanket supplementary feeding program was conducted in Al Salam camp – by World Vision for 11,603 children under five years of age.

– Monitoring visits to Nyala Teaching Hospital were conducted by WHO to oversee implementation of ensuring free access of health services to IDPs referred in the hospital. Medical supplies and drugs are in place at the said hospital to guarantee free services to referred IDPs.

– WHO supported the vector control campaign which was concluded last week. Reduction of the density of mosquitoes and houseflies around the town of Nyala was the main objective of the campaign. WHO supported the campaign through provision of insecticides while other entities such as Malaria Programme, Environmental Health Corporation in Nyala locality provided technical and logistical support to the campaign.
West Darfur

– In Zalingei, 30 teachers — with the support of UNICEF — have completed a five-day training on HIV/AIDS life skills curriculum.

– With UNICEF support, 31 staff from El Geneina hospital have completed a three-day training on the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative. Much of the focus was upon breast feeding, including the importance of breast feeding and the link to child survival; methods and problems associated with breast feeding; the bond between mother and baby; as well as ideas for making the hospital more “baby friendly”.

– The WHO continues to supply El Geneina Teaching Hospital with emergency drugs and is closely working with the hospital management to identify support for the rehabilitation of the cholera treatment centre.

NON-FOOD ITEMS (NFIS)

West Darfur

– The United Nations Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) distributed eight (8) plastic sheeting for a program support from Common Pipeline stock.

WATER AND SANITATION

North Darfur

– WHO — in collaboration with UNICEF — is supporting the SMoH to conduct water quality control activities in El Fasher town targeting 63 boreholes and five (5) water points. The exercise started with mapping of all water sources to identify the functional and non functional ones. Chlorine tablets were provided to all water attendants. On the job training was conducted for eight (8) water attendants and the training was facilitated by the SMoH.

– The State Water Corporation (SWC) mobilized the Zam Zam IDP Camp community to rehabilitate 200 latrines and clean up 920 others in an effort to encourage safer hygiene practices. While in El Fasher town, 485 children were given training — with UNICEF support — on hygiene education messages and another 106 teachers were trained in basic hygiene education.
South Darfur

– The SWC in conjunction with UNICEF trained key state holders in a water sustainability workshop in Nyala. In addition, maintenance of motorized water schemes in Otash (8), Mosai (1), Kass (5), al Salam (5), El Neem (3), Khor Omar (1), El Fardous (1), New Secalei (1), Gereida (2), Feina (2) and Kalma (2) IDP Camps was carried out.
West Darfur

– WHO continues to monitor water quality activities carried out by non-government organizations in Krenik, Geneina, Habila, Forbaranga and Bendi areas. Technical and logistical support is extended to health partners. WHO recently provided water quality monitoring equipment, re-agents and various supplies to Medair.

– UNICEF and the SWC reached over 490 household in an environmental and hygiene cleanup campaign in Dorti and Ardamata IDP Camps. In addition to this, four (4) additional campaigns in hygiene promotion were attended by 400 women and youth groups.

If you have inputs for the next edition or questions and comments on this one, or other media and public enquiries, please contact:
Nahla Zarroug, Information Analyst, United Nations, Khartoum, Sudan, Email: [email protected], Telephone: +249-9-12160065
For other media and public enquiries, you may also contact:
Orla Clinton, Public Information Officer, United Nations, Khartoum, Sudan, Email: [email protected], Telephone: +249-9-12174454

Imad Hassanein, Media Officer, United Nations, Khartoum, Sudan, Email: [email protected], Telephone: +249-9-12178035