HIGHLIGHTS

Angola The overall nutritional situation appears to be stabilising as improved security allows more farmers to return to their land, with agencies providing the necessary agricultural inputs in advance of the planting season. Also, deliveries of emergency food aid have improved as more relief is transportable via road. However, some populations groups still remain inaccessible due to insecurity and may therefore be at heightened nutritional risk.

Rwanda/Burundi The nutritional situation in the region appears generally stable based on available reports, low levels of wasting and mortality being estimated from most surveys. However, insecure and consequently inaccessible areas of Burundi, and the heavily populated north east of Rwanda, may be at heightened nutritional risk. A continued short-fall in general ration allocations in refugee camps in Zaire and Tanzania in conjunction with a newly imposed government ban on economic activities in the Zairian camps may lead to a decline in nutritional status in the coming months. Recent surveys show that the nutritional status of refugees in a number of the camps around Uvira in Zaire appears to be deteriorating.

Kenya A recent planned reduction in general ration levels and updating of ration cards may be having some adverse impact on levels of wasting in the Dadaab area (in eastern Kenya). Seasonal risk of scurvy at this time of year is being monitored. The nutritional situation in the camps as reported overall is not alarming, but needs to be carefully watched.

Liberia Region Continued progress towards enduring peace in Liberia is allowing better relief access to affected populations. Evidence of extraordinarily high levels of malnutrition is being found in some newly accessible areas: in one survey in Lower Bong/Upper Margibi wasting and/or oedema was seen in over 50% of the children surveyed. Most Liberian refugees in Cote d'Ivoire and Guinea are reportedly waiting to see if the peace becomes permanent before repatriating. In contrast, the situation in Sierra Leone is continuing to deteriorate with the south and east of the country particularly insecure and inaccessible to relief agencies. One survey (in Kenema) found levels of wasting between 20-37% suggesting that the long-term lack of access to emergency food aid is having a very serious nutritional effect.

Somalia The overall nutrition situation in Somalia appears to be deteriorating. Recent surveys in Mogadishu and Kismayo have found high levels of wasting (17-25%) which are attributed to a variety of economic- and security-related factors. Many Somalis, especially in large urban centres, are presently at considerable nutritional risk.

Sudan Constraints on Operation Lifeline Sudan and insecurity in parts of the South are beginning to adversely affect food security and nutrition. Cases of measles have also been reported in Southern Sudan. Populations in camps for the displaced outside Khartoum are also probably at heightened nutritional risk due to over-crowding and seasonal price inflation.

Afghanistan Region Despite the current security situation in and around Kabul, which is reportedly tense, repatriation from Iran and Pakistan is continuing. The nutrition situation in Afghanistan appears to be stable. However, a recent survey showing somewhat elevated levels of wasting in an area to which many people are returning may indicate some nutritional vulnerability among the returnees and the resident population.

Nepal Although levels of wasting among the Bhutanese refugees remain very low, the incidence of scurvy and angular stomatitis is beginning to rise slightly in some camps. The precise reasons for this are unclear, but the situation requires careful monitoring for micronutrient deficiencies.

Iraq Although there are no new data on the 220,000 Marsh Arabs in southern Iraq and Iran, the declining nutritional situation in the south and central provinces described in a recent UN assessment must be must be affecting this highly vulnerable population. Aenemia and vitamin A deficiency have been reported as widespread in Iraq, reflecting 'the severity of the underlying nutritional situation'.

ADEQUACY OF FACTORS AFFECTING NUTRITION

Factor		Angola	Burundi	Kenya	Liberia	Rwanda	Sierra Leone	Somalia	Sudan	Tanzania	Zaire
1. Degree of accessibility to large population groups due to conflict		O	X		O		X		O
2. General resources
	- food (gen. stocks)							X	X
	- non-food							X	X
3. Food pipeline		?							?	X	X
4. Non-food pipeline		?							?	?	?
5. Logistics			X		O		X		O
6. Personnel*			X						O
7. Camp factors**			O			na	?X	O	O	O	O
8. Rations - kcals				X			X		X	X	X
	- variety/micronutrients***			X			X		X
9. Immunization		?	?	O	X		X	O	?X
10. Information		O	X		O		X		X

Adequate O Problem in some areas X Problem ? Don't know
? Don't know, but probably adequate ?X Don't know, but probably inadequate

* This refers to both adequate presence and training of NGOs and local staff where security allows.

** This refers to problems in camps such as registration, water/sanitation, crowding, etc.

*** Rations may be inadequate due to inaccessibility.

Note: Situations for which detailed information is available are included in this table. Other potentially critical situations (e.g. Ethiopia or Shaba, Zaire) are not currently included due to a lack of detailed information. They will be included as more information becomes available.