Status of Sudanese refugee camps in Ethiopia improving

Sept 12, 2005 (ADDIS ABABA) — Joint interventions by relief agencies
have saved Sudanese refugees camped in the Gambella region of western
Ethiopia from critical malnutrition, the UN Office for the Coordination
of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) here reported Monday.

OCHA said the high rates of malnutrition recorded in May 2005 among the
Sudanese refugees in Fugnido and Bonga camps had improved as a result of
joint interventions that included supplementary feeding.

By the end of August, OCHA said in its weekly Relief Bulletin, global
acute malnutrition in Fugnido camp was down to 11.6 percent from an
earlier 20 percent rate.

Severe acute malnutrition was currently at 3.7 percent.

“While this is a significant improvement, the situation remains poor,”
the report said.

In Bonga camp, severe acute malnutrition (SAM) rates have dropped to 0.3
percent from an earlier 2 percent and eight children were receiving
therapeutic feeding treatment in the camp health centre.

According to OCHA and World Food Programme, the situation has improved as
a result of supplementary feeding and the pre-positioning of three
month’s food supply in order to avoid any delay in distribution.

In addition, UNHCR has ensured access to water in the Anuak part of
Fugnido camp.

MSF-Switzerland has provided a provisional health and therapeutic feeding
centre in the same location to treat severely malnourished children.

Food rations for October to December were being ferried to all refugee
camps in Gambella Region, the report added.

(PANA/ST)