Rainfall, disease, hitting refugee camps in Kenya, Ethiopia
This is a summary of what was said by UNHCR spokesperson Andrej Mahečić – to whom quoted text may be attributed – at today's press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.
More than a month after the kidnapping of three aid workers in Kenya's Dadaab refugee complex, insecurity continues to affect aid efforts. The situation is being exacerbated by heavy rains and accompanying risks of waterborne diseases.
Nearly 100 additional Kenyan police have been deployed in the camps in the last month. UNHCR is supporting them with vehicles, shelter and telecommunications equipment. Together with our partners, we are exploring options to gradually resume full operations despite continued security incidents in and around Dadaab. In the meantime, refugees are still receiving life-saving aid, namely food, water and health care.
The situation has been complicated by an outbreak of cholera in the camps, which is believed to have started among new arrivals who had most likely acquired it in Somalia or en route to Dadaab. Rains and flooding had affected the trucking of water to parts of the camps, and we fear some refugees resorted to using unsafe water from flooded areas.
There are now 60 cases in the camps, including 10 laboratory-confirmed cases and one refugee death. To manage the outbreak, UNHCR and partners have set up cholera treatment centres for severe cases. Most cases can be managed through oral rehydration solutions (ORS) that can be given at home or at the health posts. We are working with UNICEF and the Ministry of Health to train health workers in the community-based management of diarrhoea so that patients can begin treatment at home.
We have increased levels of chlorine, which kills cholera-causing bacteria, at water points in the camps. These are monitored to make sure they are maintained at the correct levels. We are also promoting hygiene practices among the refugees, especially the use of latrines and hand washing with soap. Each refugee received 250 grams of soap with the latest food distribution and this will continue monthly for several months.
In Ethiopia's Dollo Ado area, a nutrition survey at the Kobe and Hilaweyn camps has found high levels of malnutrition among children under five years of age. Refugees at both camps arrived from Somalia in extremely poor health condition, with many families losing children to malnutrition en route or after arrival in Ethiopia. Health and nutrition programmes have been set up by a range of experienced partners to address malnutrition, especially among the youngest children, but progress has been slow, as this survey confirmed.
However, the number of deaths among children under five has decreased dramatically compared to the very high level seen at the height of the refugee influx this summer. This reflects improved access to quality health care and nutrition services, as well as improved water and sanitation facilities. UNHCR is leading the coordination of a nutrition response to the survey's findings.
Meanwhile, intermittent downpours in Dollo Ado continue to cause flash floods in the area. The airstrip was hit by floods in the past four days and has subsequently remained out of service.
Nonetheless, work continues on the fifth refugee camp in the area, Bur Amino. The ground is rocky and this slows down the digging of latrines, a minimum number of which must be in place before refugees can be relocated from the transit centre. More than 7,600 recent arrivals from Somalia are now encamped at the transit centre, where they receive basic shelter, relief items and hot meals.
For more information on this topic, please contact:
- In Dollo Ado, Ethiopia: Stiofainin Nic Iomhaird on mobile +252 618 017 852
- In Dadaab, Kenya: Sonia Aguilar on mobile +254 705 253 292
- In Nairobi, Kenya (Kenya office): Emmanuel Nyabera on mobile +254 733 995 975
- In Nairobi, Kenya (Regional office): Vivian Tan on mobile +254 735 337 608, Needa Jehu-Hoyah on mobile +254 734 564 018
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Your search for « Hilaweyn » matched 83 results. Displaying page 5 of 10 pages.
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Evaluation of the Ikea Foundation Livelihoods and Energy Projects among Somali Refugees and Host Communities in Ethiopia
Jun 2020 ... ... the region, three additional camps were opened by the end of 2012: Kobe, Hilaweyn, and Buramino. ... Melkadida camp populations as of April 2020 • Melkadida Camp: 34,572 refugees • Hilaweyn Camp: ...... Attachments: ES/2020/02: UNHCR Evaluation Management Response (.zip) -
Fourth camp for Somalis opened in Ethiopia, arrivals to Dadaab increasing
5 Aug 2011 ... ... The refugees will be taken to the new Hilaweyn camp, the fourth in the Dollo Ado area. IOM expects ... The preparations to open the new Hilaweyn camp includes trucking in potable water by Oxfam (UK) for ...... -
Famine victims converge on Mogadishu; region's camps report deaths
22 Jul 2011 ... ... The number of arrivals is outpacing the capacity to absorb them in this parched and remote area. Kobe camp, which opened last month, is already full with over 25,000 refugees. A new camp, Hilaweyn, is ...... -
Ethiopia-Somali Refugee Emergency Update, 14 October 2011
14 Oct 2011 ... ... Hilaweyn has almost reached its full capacity of 25,000, leaving UNHCR and ARRA with no option other ... the CMR calculated from grave counting was 0.3/10,000/day in Kobe and 0.4/10,000/day in Hilaweyn. ...... -
UNHCR transfers Somalis to new camp as fresh fighting erupts in Mogadishu
29 Jul 2011 ... ... UNHCR and partners continue urgent work to complete the development of Hilaweyn, the fourth refugee ... Oxfam, which has been tasked to develop water and sanitation in Hilaweyn camp, expects to have water ...... -
As Somali displacement grows, refugee camps report deaths
22 Jul 2011 ... ... Kobe camp, which opened last month, is already full with over 25,000 refugees. A new camp, Hilaweyn, is nearing completion and will hold up to 60,000 people. We expect to begin moving people from the ...... -
One year on, thousands flee Somalia every month, but successes too
5 Jun 2012 ... ... In the older Melkadida and Bokolomayo camps, acute malnutrition rates have fallen to 15 per cent. UNHCR is currently preparing a follow-up survey in the newer Kobe and Hilaweyn camps and expects to ...... -
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26 Aug 2011 ... ... We plan to further decentralize services so that refugees can access medical care more easily. Facilities are now open on a 24-hour basis at MSF's clinics in the new Hilaweyn camp. Construction is ...... -
Emergency Update Dollo Ado, Ethiopia, 23 August 2011
23 Aug 2011 ... ... 9,825 39,642 Kobe (Somali) 5,684 25,359 Hilaweyn (Somali) 2113 9519 Dollo Ado Transit C ... 14,151 Kobe 5,684 25,359 n/a n/a 5,684 25,359 Hilaweyn 2113 9,519 n/a n/a 2,113 9,519 Camp Sub- ......