Sierra Leone: Landslide and Floods. Situation Update # 9-5 September 2017

Transcription

1 Sierra Leone: Landslide and Floods Situation Update # 9-5 September 2017 This update is produced by the UNDAC team in collaboration with the UN Resident Coordinator s Office in Sierra Leone, liaising with the Office of National Security and humanitarian partners. Situation overview Three weeks on from the landslide and initial flooding, most pillars are operational and the Office of National Security (ONS) Situation Room collates information from the two temporary shelters sites and six Incident Response Centres (IRCs) daily. The second shelter site, Juba Barracks, is still empty ten days after the initial set-up and the slow pace of construction is worrying. The distributions of food and non-food items have reached over 85% of flood and landslide affected people. Cash transfers should now replace in-kind distributions and complete the emergency phase by alleviating basic constraints as well as social and educational issues. There is a need to clearly distinguish the ongoing response efforts from recurrent needs which may arise from localised flash floods. The rainy season continues; during the weekend, several areas were flooded and some shelters, as well as the relocation spot at Old Skool had some tents flooded and people moving into buildings. Concern was raised that tents are inadequate given the current rainy season, call for alternatives to tents as well as long-term housing solutions. Chlorination, distribution of aquatabs and water trucking remains key priorities to prevent epidemics in the affected areas. Improving the daily reporting rate of health facilities should also be highlighted. The Ministry of Health and Sanitation, in collaboration with WHO, UNICEF and partners are doing an oral Cholera vaccination prevention campaign. The operational sites for Cholera are identified. The International Coordination Group (ICG) has now approved 1,036,000 doses of Oral Cholera Vaccine (Euvichol) for 518,000 beneficiaries as an additional protective measure in affected communities. Vaccination exercise is expected to start in two weeks. Response efforts Water tanks for affected people. CARE INTERNATIONAL 2017 On Tuesday the 5 th September, the Presidential approval for the proposed cash transfer programme was given. It is now critical for the National Commission for Social Action (NACSA) to send clear guidelines to partners on cash transfers and the cash working group to agree on a plan (who will do cash transfers in which communities).

2 Sierra Leone Situation Update No.9 2 The NACSA and partners proposal includes a US$120 as startup humanitarian cash transfer and US$30 per month for the next two months. According to the survey conducted during the verification of registration data, only about 27% of homeless households would likely be relocated to shelter sites while the rest would rather rent a new place. Child Friendly Space. Olivia Acland. UNDP 2017 The main part of the affected people is still staying with host families. The two sites prepared for hosting displaced. At Old Skool the reverification of eligible persons is ongoing as the identification of those staying at the site poses challenged in absence of proper ID cards. In Juba Barracks 50 family tents are all set up. But to date there has been no movement. Water tanks totalling 25,000L and 10 mobile toilets are installed. First aid facilities are installed as well as a coordination site. The open area has been drained and tents secured against surface flooding. HEALTH As part of cholera preparedness planning, UNICEF in collaboration with WHO, Médecins sans Frontières and Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MOHS) contributed technical support in the development of Oral Cholera Vaccination campaign application to the International Coordinating Group (ICG), which has been approved for 1,036,300 doses. The vaccine is expected to arrive in-country on 7 September. UNICEF is supporting MOHS on storage and distribution for the vaccination campaign. Harmonization of cholera samples and verification is being checked, e.g. how many samples have been taken to laboratory. WHO and the Ministry of Health and Sanitation continue to monitor trends of priority diseases in the affected districts. Daily reporting and active case search are ongoing within health facilities and communities to supplement existing routine surveillance. Some suspected cases of cholera have been reported but have all been negative upon laboratory testing. UNAIDS team conducted monitoring visits to removal bottlenecks affecting access to Health services in the affected locations. Health services are available including necessary human resources, supplies including ARV for adults, children and pregnant women. There is also appropriate referral services. UNAIDS has partnered with NAS, NETIPS, CARKAP, CAFOD and other CSOs and produced a verified list of affected PLHIV and family members. UNAIDS is facilitating inclusion of these vulnerable population into the master list of ONS. So far 110 PLHIV households have been linked to care and treatment (11 were lactating mothers and 4 HIV+ pregnant women). Over 100 pregnant women, lactating women, children were being housed in classrooms by DIP and they may need specialized care. HIV and STI prevention commodities have been integrated to the dignity kits of both UNFPA, CAFOD and UNWOMEN and supplied to different locations. About 20,000 pieces of Male condoms has been supplied to partners and affected population so far. WHO supports national capacity for cholera preparedness through training of laboratory technicians, development of job aides and distribution of laboratory supplies. WHO is also supporting all districts to review

3 Sierra Leone Situation Update No.9 3 and update their cholera preparedness plans. Training of health workers on cholera case management continues and deployment of volunteers in certain ill-staffed health facilities is ongoing. WHO supported the Ministry to deploy IPC personnel in the affected communities to help address issues with hand washing, promotion of personal hygiene, safe food handling, water chlorination and community education on safe waste disposal. UNFPA Dignity kits distribution will be done alongside WFP food distribution. UNAIDS report that not all PLHIV were captured in the ONS master list due to Stigma. There are 14 orphans from HIV Households who lost their parents who will need immediate care and support. NETIPS has reported low ARV stock levels necessitating 2 facilities to start rationing ARVs refills on 2-weekly basis. FOOD & NUTRITION A second round of dry food WFP distribution (two week rations) for over 1,600 households will take place on 6 and 7 September with support from Street Child. WFP will supply another two-week ration of rice, pulses, fortified vegetable oil and salt, as well as fortified complementary food for pregnant and nursing women and children age 6-59 months. Dignity kits (UNFPA) will be distributed simultaneously. Further food aid support will be part of the cash transfer plan. Street Child of Sierra Leone has so far distributed 3,848 ready-to-eat food parcels to shelters in Regent, Kaningo, Kamayama, Dwarzak, Juba Barracks and Culvert. The parcels included drinking water. The wet food distributions have been completed on 2 September. UNAIDS in collaboration with CAFOD, NETHIPS, WFP, UNICEF, NAS have facilitated access to food and non-food items among vulnerable identified within the broader response. So far, all registered vulnerable PLHIV and other vulnerable groups have benefited. 32 PLHIV and families are living in host families and there is need to support them access the relief packages. WASH CARE International is assigned by the WASH Pillar Lead (the Ministry of Water Resources) as the organization in charge for WASH in Kamayama and Kaningo. CARE International has installed six units of 10,000-liter capacity water tanks in three affected communities, : Kamayama (3 water tanks), Pentagon (2 water tanks) and Kanongi (1 water tank). Since August 29 th, CARE has taken over the water refilling of another 10,000-liter water tank located in Kamayama. Each 10,000-liter of water tank supplies the daily requirement for clean and potable water of 1,333 individuals or 222 households. From September 1 to 4, CARE has supplied a total of 100,000 liters of water to the three communities. Concern Worldwide is providing clean water to communities in need, trucking in thousands of gallons of water daily to the affected neighborhoods of Kamayama and Kaningo, as well as providing hygiene kits. The kits include jerry cans and water purification tablets so water can be fetched, safely treated at home, and stored. They also include buckets, bleach, and soap so families can practice healthy hygiene habits.

4 Sierra Leone Situation Update No volunteers from the Sierra Leone Red Cross Society, with support from IFRC, conducted hygiene promotion sessions in Kaningo and Regent, reaching 1,594 people (244 households) with messaging on hand washing, latrine cleaning, and waste management. UNICEF in partnership with implementing partner CRS continued to support the provision and delivery of water to the affected communities residing at the three temporary displacement centres. Over the weekend a total of 90,000 litres of clean drinking water was delivered and an additional 40,000 litres harvested from rain water. To date, a total of 531,000 litres of water have been supplied through water trucking and 140,000 through rain water harvesting. The agency also provides sanitation services at the three temporary displacement centres. Additional 12 bath places, two laundry rooms and 12 pit latrines were constructed at the new Old Skool site. Implementation of WASH in affected communities continued with a total of 53,000 aquatabs covering a total of 1,060 households distributed over the weekend. The distributions were accompanied by one 20 litre buckets, two collapsible water collection jerry cans and education on how to use the aqua tabs. A total of 94,500 aquatabs have been distributed, reaching 1,890 households (1,000 in Kaningo, 490 in Regent and 400 in Pentagon). Red Cross hygiene promotion assessments conducted in Kaningo, Regent and Juba, observed that access to latrines is problematic. Girl fills water bucket. UNICEF 2017 SHELTER The Sierra Leone Red Cross Society, with support from IFRC, has distributed non-food items (hygiene kits, buckets, kitchen ware) and food supplies to 1,565 people (313 families) in Kaningo. World Vision International has been responding to the flood and landslide emergency in the following Pillars of intervention; Child Protection, Health and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH). A total of 949 households have been reached with Non-food items (NFIs) in Kamayama, Wilberforce, Pentagon, Gbangbayila, Juba and Culvert. Concern is raised that tents are inadequate given the current rainy season, call for alternatives to tents as well as long-term housing solutions. The Office of National Security, WHO, and other partners have helped conduct further assessments at temporary shelters. The exercise was aimed at evaluating the resettlement processes, living conditions of the displaced persons, health service availability, access to clean water, hygiene and sanitation. PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT/ PROTECTION 30 psychosocial support (PSS) volunteers from the Sierra Leone Red Cross Society, with support from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), provided PSS to approximately 1,200 affected people through one-on-one talks, group discussions, and psycho-education activities such as games

5 Sierra Leone Situation Update No.9 5 and playing for children. 49 people with severe cases of mental health, injury and sickness were referred to health clinics for specialized medical care. The Red Cross PSS programme has networked with the Don Bosco centre which is currently housing more than 200 survivors, the majority of them women and children. Don Bosco has requested staff training from the Red Cross to better support those affected. UNAIDS, in collaboration with Ministry of social welfare, UNWOMEN and CAFOD, PLHIV Network, provides psychosocial support and protection services. There are over 14 orphans from PLHIV families have lost both parents from the mudslide and will need educational and livelihood support Through its implementing partner, Family Homes Movement (FHM), UNICEF established five Child Friendly Spaces in Regent, Kaningo, Kamayamah, Pentagon, and Old Skool. Since 24 August, 2,824 children have attended the Child Friendly Spaces in the five locations, and 308 children received Psychological First Aid in the same locations. UNFPA Protections desks are being continued in collaboration with UNICEF. EDUCATION The Government has identified a number of schools as unfit to receive students and that will be closed. UNICEF is working with the Government and partners to prepare for those children that could be affected by the closure of schools. UNICEF has prepositioned learning materials at the District Education Offices to be distributed this week from Wednesday to Friday. UNICEF is also to organize a training for teachers on providing psychosocial support to students. The training is planned for Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Social mobilization efforts on back to school messages are underway. COMMUNICATION & SOCIAL MOBILIZATION Messaging on the upcoming cholera oral vaccination is being conducted at the community level. In addition, parliamentarians, politicians and traditional leaders should be engaged when preparing the vaccination campaign, possibly through the Social Mobilisation and Communication pillar. Clear messaging on cash transfers should start as soon as possible to minimize risks and discrepancies. Clear approach and messaging to those not affected should leave the camps and not take Information Kiosk Kamayama. UNDAC 2017 advantage of the situation; Messaging to be intensified to youth on prevention of gender based violence.

6 Sierra Leone Situation Update No.9 6 Bilateral and Private Sector Support ECOWAS (including WAHO): 300,000 USD; Ghana 28MT of relief items; Togo. 500,000 USD; Liberia has forwarded 20 vehicles to bring medical and food supplies; Nigeria has donated 315 tonnes of assorted relief materials and one million dollars to Sierra Leone; Côte d Ivoire is sending 1.5 tons of medical supplies; Senegal donated USD$100,000 to the relief efforts; Morocco has send 66MT (tents, blankets, cholera kits). Transport by Royal Armed Forces; China: US$1million to the Government of Sierra Leone through its embassy in Freetown. The Chinese Chamber of Commerce in Sierra Leone has donated $83,000 On August 29th, 2017, the Chinese Ambassador to Sierra Leone WU Peng handed over USD $100,000 from the Red Cross Society of China to Sierra Leone Red Cross Society (SLRCS) as a disaster relief fund; Israel announced it will send medicine, clean water, and blankets via the embassy in Senegal; Spain 60,000 EUR and deployed a technical team to help with body identification; UK: 5 million GBP; EU: 300,000 EUR for vulnerable families affected by disaster (through local and international partners); Ireland: 400,000 EUR for International NGOs; Mercury International: 55,000 USD; United Bank of Africa CEO donated 500,00 USD to Sierra Leone; Africell: 67,000 USD; Red Cross appeal 4.8m USD asked; Switzerland has pledged CHF to IFCR Appeal (WASH, primary health); Qatar has sent cargo with medical and surgical supplies; Germany supported the victims of the landslide with ca through Deutsche Welthungerhilfe Freetown (Purchase and Distribution of Mattresses and Blankets, Food packages). Germany has also pledged to Caritas International (Purchase and Distribution of Food, Clothes and to give psycho-social support); The Netherlands has donated in total EUR 580,000 to the International Red Cross Society for their relief efforts in Sierra Leone; Turkish Red Crescent deployed to delegates to Freetown, Sierra Leone via an air freighter containing; 2.5 tons of wheat flour, 2.5 tons of pasta, 2.5 tons of rice, 100 tents, 100 kitchen kits, 12,300 razor blades and 1 ton of liquid soap. The relief materials were received by the Sierra Leone Red Cross along with a 15, USD cash in additional support; Spanish Police Forensic team sent to help on identification of victims is terminated; Canadian Humanitarian Assistance Fund has funded Care Canada with $275,000; South Africa has donated US$615,000 to WFP Sierra Leone; IOM has deployed a team of emergency managers to provide technical support to the GoSL; The OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) has approved an emergency assistance and support emergency operations. The grant will be channelled through the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC); Government of Botswana donated for $100,000 to the Government of Sierra Leone as disaster relief.

7 Sierra Leone Situation Update No.9 7 More information and tools Link to online Who does What Where When (4W) tool: Link to a copy of the 4W tool: Link to situation and operational maps and reports: NEXT SITUATION UPDATE WILL BE ISSUED BY THE UNDP OFFICE ON A WEEKLY BASIS. DEADLINE FOR INPUTS 11 SEPTEMBER 14:00 HRS SEND CONTENT TO: linnea.vanwagenen@one.un.org until further notice