Somali state, Oromiya region "of grave concern"

The situation in pastoral areas, particularly the Somali regional state and Borena zone of Oromiya Region is "of grave concern," the UN Country Team (UNCT) in Ethiopia warned on Monday. Reports were already emerging of drought-affected people moving into towns and refugee camps in the Somali region, placing an extra burden on dwindling water supplies and on health
facilities. There is also concern that low immunisation cover could allow outbreaks of measles and other diseases. Current government estimates are that 7.7 million people require food aid amounting to 836,000 mt this year but the relief requirement is constantly being reassessed and there are fears that the failure of the short 'belg' rains could mean upwards of 1.3
million 'belg' farmers requiring relief assistance until December. "The implications of this would be a food relief requirement of possibly more than one million mt this year," the UNCT report added.

More than 400 people, most of them children, died from hunger in Gode region during March, AFP reported on Wednesday, citing local health chief Sheikh Abdullahi. More than 120 children were among 203 people who had died in Gode town itself, while 263 people had died in Denan district, including 191 children under five years, the report quoted Abdullahi as saying.