Nutrition levels stabilise in some areas - OCHA

Morbidity and mortality rates remained high in many parts of Angola in August, but nutrition levels stabilised in areas where humanitarian partners had sustained access and where food security interventions continued, OCHA said in its latest monthly analysis.

OCHA said nutrition levels in Kuito, the capital of Bie province, had stabilised in August. Tens of thousands of people fleeing fighting around the central highlands province began converging on Kuito early this year, most of them ill and in states of severe malnutrition. Mortality rates in the town dropped from 17 percent in June to 8.3 percent in July. In its August analysis, OCHA said: "Admission rates at therapeutic and supplementary feeding centres in the city have decreased since Medecins sans Frontieres-Belgium (MSF-B) opened feeding centres in Camacupa."

However, OCHA said that in Camacupa, an MSF-B nutritional survey indicated that although the nutrition situation had improved since March 2001, the average global malnutrition rate of displaced populations remained high, at 12.5 percent.

On the nutrition situation in other provinces during August, OCHA said that in Benguela province, the results of a nutritional survey conducted by the Catholic Relief Services (CRS) in Cubal indicated that global and severe malnutrition rates had decreased since February. However, due to low post-harvest food stocks and the continuous arrival of new IDPs (internally displaced persons), the situation would have to be closely monitored during the coming months.

In Cunene a severe malnutrition rate of 15 percent was recorded during the nutritional screening of 781 children in Chiulo, in Ombadja municipality. Collegio Universitario Aspirante e Medici Missionari (CUAMM) conducted the screening. Meanwhile, in Huambo province, admissions increased at several feeding centres in Huambo and Caala. "Many of the recent admissions include new arrivals from Chipipa, Ekunha, Cuima, Catata and N'Gove," OCHA said.

A ministry of health screening of 265 children in the Cacula, Hoque and Chipakalassa resettlement areas found that 13 percent of the children were seriously malnourished. Global and severe malnutrition rates in Malange and Lombe had also decreased.

According to OCHA, humanitarian partners reported the displacement of 20,985 person in 13 of Angola's 18 provinces in August. About 3,000 new IDPs had arrived in Kuito and 5,883 new IDPs had arrived in Camacupa from Cuemba, bringing the total number of people there to more than 20,000, OCHA said. It added that about 3,500 IDPs fleeing instability in Cuilo, Futa and Beu had been registered in Maquela do Zombo, in Uige. Almost four million Angolans have been forced from their homes because of the ongoing civil war there.