SOUTHERN AFRICA

Angola

Angola

The situation in Angola is causing great concern amongst the humanitarian community. The almost complete destruction of infrastructure in certain areas caused by the 27 years of war is a major constraint to assisting the population. The destruction of health facilities and other basic infrastructure such as running water has created a large number of people in need of assistance when there is a lack of funds.

Since April 2002, when the war ended, more and more areas have become accessible and people have moved closer to places where humanitarian aid can be provided, leading to a rise in the population requiring assistance. Rapid assessments have been conducted in 28 locations in 12 provinces (OCHA, 09/02). About 60% of the country however remains unreachable due to landmines and poor infrastructure (OCHA, 09/02). Access to basic services is hampered by the poor condition of roads and airstrips, and very large numbers of landmines. Difficulties in accessing populations are even worse during the rainy season, which began in September. Needs are enormous, including infrastructure rehabilitation, de-mining, strengthening livelihoods, and emergency programmes to cover basic needs (OXFAM, 29/07/02; MSF, 05/08/02; IRIN, 02/08/02). An overall improvement in the situation can not be foreseen for at least 12-18 months by which time a majority of the displaced people and refugees should be resettled, the infrastructure should be repaired, and de-mining be undertaken. A successful agricultural season will also be required before the situation may improve significantly (OCHA, 28/08/02).

However, there have been improvement in some areas. Out of the 25 accessible areas where malnutrition rates were high in July, the situation improved in 14, although it remained precarious in other areas (OCHA, 26/09/02).

Funding

Operations in Angola remain largely under funded. In August 2002, it was estimated that the 2002 appeal by UN agencies and NGOs only helped gen-rate 47% of the required funding. Moreover, there are large funding discrepancies between sectors (see figure) (OCHA, 09/02). WFP’s needs were only 26% funded as of October 2002 (WFP, 01/10/02). Although the government of Angola has pledged US$ 140 M for Quartering and Family Areas, and resettlement for 2002, there are concerns that it is insufficiently committed to helping its people in need, particularly given the country’s US$ 9 billion GDP (RI, 13/08/02).

Funding gaps, Angola 1^st semester 2002 (from UNOCHA, 09/02)

IDP and refugee movements

It is estimated there are currently about 4.3 m IDPs in Angola, a significant rise since April 2002. However, only 1.3 m are registered by humanitarian organisations. There are an estimated 100,000 separated children throughout the country (USAID, 14/08/02). According to different sources, the estimated number of IDPs resettled in their area of origin varies between 300,000 and 450,000. The majority of them have returned to either Bengo, Bie, Hambo, or Malanje. About 90% of the IDPs have returned to their home land without receiving any form of assistance. The areas where they are resettling lack basic infrastructure, and humanitarian agencies are unable to cover all the needs (OCHA, 26/09/02).

WFP reported that returnees were receiving no help at the returnee transit point at Luau in Mexico Province, where basic services are urgently needed (WFP, 11/10/02).

Before the end of hostilities the number of refugees was estimated at about 470,000, scattered between Zambia, the DRC, Namibia and Congo. UNHCR is planing to provide repatriation assistance from early 2003. From February to August this year, about 9,500 refugees spontaneously returning from the DRC, were registered by UNHCR. More have probably returned without being registered. The influx of returnees seems to have decreased recently with only 650 returning in August compared to 1,500 per month in the previous months. UNHCR also registered 4,500 spontaneous returnees from Zambia, with a further 8,500 estimated non-registered (UNHCR, 13/08/02).

Food security situation

An overall cereal deficit of 468,000 Mts is expected for 2002-2003 despite a 22% increase in maize production and a 64% increase in cassava production because of better rain (SADC, 28/07/02).

The number of people in need of food distribution has grown from 1.3 to 1.9 M. WFP has begun to distribute food to the 41 Quartering and Family Area (QFA) settlements which together cater for about 300,000 former UNITA soldiers and their families although the government should have normally supplied them until October (WFP, 10/09/02). WFP has suspended its distribution programme in Huila, Cunene and in a central province of Malange because of landmines (OCHA, 13/09/02). Additionally, although it was planned to deliver a three month stock to populations in remote areas inaccessible during the rainy season, WFP’s pipeline was insufficient to achieve this (WFP, 10/09/02).

Nutrition situation

With the increased ability of both humanitarian agencies and the population to move around the country, several pockets of extreme poverty have been identified. The number of TFCs increased from 20 in March to 50 in June (UNSC, 15/08/02). The QFAs seem particularly at risk.

Kuando Kubango Province

Mavinga

MSF first obtained access to Mavinga in June 2002. About 7,000 people were living in Mavinga town while a further 40,000 were gathered in two QFAs. The local infrastructure had almost entirely been destroyed. MSF reported a very high rate of malnutrition in Matungo QFA with 25% acute malnutrition, including 8.9% severe, in a nutrition survey undertaken in July 2002. In Mavinga town, the rate of malnutrition was 12.4% including 5.6% with severe malnutrition (MSF, 08/08/02). As of September 2002, the situation remained highly precarious. About 10,000 people had come into Mavinga town from the QFAs where they were receiving no food. The water situation in the town was also very poor with no potable water available and cases of shigellosis were reported. Food supplies were also far from sufficient (MSF, 11/09/02).

Huambo Province

Bailundo

A nutrition survey carried out by Epicentre in June 2002 in Chiteta QFA revealed a malnutrition rate of 18%, including 5.9% severe malnutrition. The crude mortality rate and under-five mortality rate, over the past six months were respectively 2.5/10000/day and 5.7/10000/day, showing a very precarious situation (MSF, 01/07/02).

Moxico Province

Luena

MSF-B in collaboration with GOAL and MINSA carried out two nutritional surveys in Luena. One survey included Muacanhica and Muachimbo IDP camps and the transit centre; the other was done in Chicala Quartering and Family Area. Before the cease-fire agreement, Luena was a government-controlled area, which has received many displaced, particularly since January 2002. The Angolan Army has been bringing them from other parts of the province at the rate of about 1,500 persons a month, making the proper settlement of the IDPs difficult to ensure. A further three QFAs have been implemented in the area since the beginning of April.

The results of the nutritional and retrospective mortality surveys are shown in the table below. In July 2002, the rates of malnutrition and mortality in the QFAs were far above the emergency threshold, whilst the nutritional status in the camps was slightly better but still of concern. The population in both areas surveyed had very high death rates, particularly before their arrival in the settlements. Although the mortality rates then dropped somewhat they remained elevated. It was noticed that very few cases with oedema were recorded during the survey although 40 % of the new admissions to TFCs in June 2002 had oedema.

In the IDP camps, new arrivals were receiving a 90 % ration for one month and then were given the same ration as the IDPs who had arrived earlier (70 % ration). About 5 % of the families reported having received no food. Although attempting some agricultural activities, the population is still almost totally reliant on food distribution. Cases of bloody diarrhoea resulting from poor access to safe drinking water and poor sanitation were also reported.

At the time of the survey, humanitarian organisations were only able to access Chicala QFA for the previous few weeks. Food was provided by the Angolan government (99 % of the families reported to have received food). WFP also started to give additional food to mothers and children at the end of June. Sanitary conditions seemed to be poor, and the health facilities lacked essential drugs.

The measles vaccination coverage in both places was below the 85 % necessary to avoid measles outbreaks.

Results of two nutritional surveys in Luena, Moxico province, Angola, MSF-B, July 2002

Survey Area	% Acute Malnutrition (95% CI)	% Severe Acute Malnutrition (95% CI)**	% Oedema	Crude Mortality (/10,000/day) (95% CI)	Under 5 Mortality (/10,000/day) (95% CI)
Chicala QFA	17.2 (14.4-20)	2.5 (0.1-4.1)	0.2	3.0 (2.4-3.5)a	6.8 (4.9-8.7)a
				4.6 (3.6-5.7)b	10.6 (6.7-14.4)b
				1.6 (1.0-2.3)c	4.0 (2.4-5.5)c
Muacanhica, Muahimbo, and transit centre	9.4 (5.4-13.4)	1.4 (0.5-2.3)	0.2	3.6 (2.7-4.6)a	6.0 (4.5-7.6)a
				7.2 (5.3-9.1)b	9.4 (5.3-13.3)b
				2.9 (2.1-3.7)c	5.4 (3.7-7.1)c

a Deaths recorded from 22-02-2002 to 26-06-2002

b Deaths recorded from 22-02-2002 to 17-04-2002 or to the date of arrival in the camps, corresponding to the period prior to their arrival at the quartering and family areas or camps

c Deaths recorded from 26-06-2002 to 18-08-2002, corresponding to the period after their arrival at the quartering and family areas or camps

Recommendations and priorities

From the MSF-B survey in Luena

Quartering and Family Areas:

· Continue the food distribution
· Increase measles vaccination coverage
· Provide support to health facilities

· Continue the food distribution,
· Distribute seeds and tools for planting
· Increase measles vaccination coverage

· Support NGOs and United Nations funding
· Support both emergency and longer term programmes