Guinea Conakry

Latest UNHCR figures estimate that there are 490,000 refugees in Guinea-Conakry. Of these some 108,000 are Liberian and 380,000 are from Sierra Leone. The remaining refugees are from a variety of countries (UNHCR - 20/09/99).

Nutritional survey in Gueckadou

ACH-S conducted a nutritional survey amongst the population in Gueckadou Prefecture in late June (see Annex). The survey estimated the prevalence of wasting and/or oedema in three different population groups: refugees who had arrived before 1998, those who arrived in the latest wave in early 1998, and residents. The prevalences of acute wasting, severe wasting, oedema and measles vaccination in the three groups can be seen below.

	Severe wasting	Acute wasting	Oedema	Measles Vaccination
	<-3 z scores	>=-3 z scores <-2		by card	history
Newly arrived refugees	0.3	2.0	0.0	36.8	34.8
Long term refugees	0.4	2.4	0.3	33.1	37.5
Residents	0.4	1.7	0.0	39.1	40.0

The prevalence of malnutrition is low in all three groups. The significant improvement in the nutritional situation of the newly arrived refugees can be seen in the graph opposite. When this latest wave of Sierra Leonean refugees arrived in February/March 1998 their nutritional status was very poor, but due to well organised interventions and the regular distribution of 2,100 kcal/person/day the situation has ameliorated. The nutritional status of the long-term refugees has also improved - in May 1998 the prevalence of wasting and/or oedema was estimated at 9.9% and severe wasting and/or oedema at 2.6%.

The prevalence of wasting and/or oedema amongst newly settled refugees in Gueckadou

The refugees were asked when they had last received food assistance. More than 55% of the long-term refugees had not received food in 1999. Almost 30% of the newly arrived refugees had not received food assistance either, although the majority of these did not have a registration card. During analysis, an association was seen between poor nutritional status and lack of food assistance, although this association was not significant - possibly because the sample size was relatively low.

The most recent UNHCR epidemiological report concerning the refugees assisted by UNHCR estimates the population's CMR at 0.21/10,000/day. Under-five mortality was estimated at 0.61/10,000/day. The main causes of death amongst the total population are malaria and pneumonia; peri/neo-natal deaths are also important causes of mortality in the under-fives (UNHCR - 07/99).

Overall, the refugees in Guinea-Conakry are considered to be at low risk of malnutrition (category IIc).

Priorities and Recommendations:

From the ACH-S survey:

· Continue to distribute food to the refugees regularly.
· Reinforce the programmes that allow the refugees to be self-sufficient.
· Distribute tools to allow the refugees to work in the fields.
· Reinforce the EPI programmes.