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Burundi + 4 more

UNICEF Burundi Humanitarian Situation Report, July-August 2018

Attachments

Highlights

• A total of 12,979 children (6,779 boys; 6,200 girls) accessed critical protection services, including temporary emergency shelter, psychosocial support, release from detention, family tracing and reunification, medical support, as well as access to education and reintegration opportunities.

• Since the beginning of the year, 37,786 children with severe acute malnutrition have been admitted and treated in 418 health facilities supported by UNICEF.

• UNICEF Burundi is facing a serious funding shortfall, with only 25 per cent of 2018 HAC funding available. Without additional funding, UNICEF will not be able to continue addressing the essential needs of children and women in Burundi.

Situation in numbers

1.9 million
Number of children in need
(HNO 2018)

3.6 million
Number of people in need
(HNO 2018)

383,283
Population seeking asylum in
neighbouring countries
(UNHCR, 31 August 2018)

159,152 Internally displaced people in
18 provinces (IOM, August 2018)

Situation Overview

and Humanitarian Needs The socio-political situation in Burundi remains precarious and continues to fuel the movement of populations, while increasing humanitarian needs. A total of 383,283 refugees, half of whom are children, have found refuge in neighbouring countries, mainly in Tanzania, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda, (UNHCR 31 August 2018). The decrease in the overall number of refugees since the last report, is linked to the ongoing voluntary repatriation process, led by UNHCR within the tripartite agreement with the Governments of Burundi and Tanzania. To date, 42, 442 people (57 per cent children), have returned to Burundi. Additional support and funding is required in Tanzania and Burundi for United Nations agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGO) partners to support a safe return from the country of origin to the community of return, in the best interests of the child.

There has been a sharp decrease (27,874 people) in the number of internally displaced people (IDPs) registered in 18 provinces, which now stands at 159,152 people, 60 per cent of whom are children (IOM, August 2018). These IDP movements are mostly due to the dry season and the resettlement of families either in new communities or returning to their communities of origins. The rainy season, which is about to begin, will probably lead to new displacements of vulnerable families.

The recent Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak in the DRC is increasingly impacting Burundi. At the onset of the outbreak, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that the risk of EVD spreading was very high at both national and regional levels. Following the WHO emergency committee’s recommendation that the nine neighbouring countries strengthen their preparedness and surveillance, Burundi developed an Ebola Contingency Plan with key health partners and reactivated the Ebola task force. UNICEF is a key member of this task force, led by the Ministry of Health (MoH) with the support of WHO. UNICEF co-chairs the subcommittee on Communication and Community Engagement, thus providing technical support and coordination. UNICEF stands ready to provide additional support, if needed for social mobilization efforts in communities, health centres, schools, at border crossings, as well as in child protection centres, while planning for WASH needs in Ebola Treatment Centres, health facilities and priority districts along the border.

Malaria cases and deaths continue to decrease since the beginning of the year. According to epidemiological data from the MoH, the cumulative number of malaria cases reported during the first 33 weeks of 2018 (2,928,549 cases with 1,440 deaths), is 46 per centlower than the number of cases reported for the same period in 2017 (5,453,757 cases and 2,458 deaths). Despite this encouraging trend, the fight against malaria remains a priority. UNICEF continues to support MoH in closely monitoring the situation of malaria and other diseases.