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Ethiopia: UN Raises Alarm As Humanitarian Crisis Worsens
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Catholic Information Service for Africa (Nairobi)
15 July 2008
Posted to the web 15 July 2008
Addis Ababa
Worsening malnutrition and the threat of disease outbreaks are compounding Ethiopia's humanitarian crisis, according to the World Health Organization.
The UN health agency said it was working with Ethiopia and health partners to support some 4.6 million people in need urgent emergency food relief.
Things have been made worse by the global food security crisis, the impact of drought on agricultural production and the country's weak health system. During the coming months, annual rains are expected to again cause large-scale flooding, increasing loss of crops and risk of disease.
"In humanitarian terms, the situation is unacceptable," said Dr Eric Laroche, Assistant Director-General for WHO's Health Action in Crises Cluster. "The health of millions of Ethiopians is worsening by the day, and the international community must act to support the country's government to ease this terrible suffering."
In three regions alone (Somali, SNNP and Eastern Oromiya), the number of government-run feeding centres has risen from 200 three months ago to 605. Some 75, 000 children aged under five need therapeutic and supplementary nutrition support. WHO, UNICEF and nongovernmental organization partners are supporting these centres.
Additional major gaps affecting people's health and livelihoods are lack of access to safe drinking water, shortages of drugs and medical supplies and insufficient human resources. The areas affected by shortages are also at significant risk of disease outbreaks: diarrhoeal diseases, measles and meningitis.
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Cases of acute watery diarrhoeal have been reported in 16 districts, and outbreaks of cerebrospinal meningitis in 37 districts. More than 7000 cases of measles have been registered in 38 districts.
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