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FROM THE FIELD

CWS appeal: Darfur (Sudan) humanitarian response
07 Jan 2009 13:59:00 GMT
 Source: Church World Service-USA
Website: Website: http://www.churchworldservice.org

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A woman with her children near Zalingei, at a camp for people displaced from their homes and villages by the violence that has ravaged parts of the Darfur region of western Sudan over the past five years. The camp is a site of CWS-supported programs.
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A woman with her children near Zalingei, at a camp for people displaced from their homes and villages by the violence that has ravaged parts of the Darfur region of western Sudan over the past five years. The camp is a site of CWS-supported programs.
Photo:Chris Herlinger/CWS

Background

•  Darfur conflict

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Monday, January 5, 2009

The humanitarian crisis in the western region of Darfur, Sudan, is now entering its sixth year, and has developed into an increasingly complex situation, with Darfur rebel groups fragmenting, and inter-tribal conflict increasing, with each group seeking to seize and hold its own territory.

The humanitarian crisis in the western region of Darfur, Sudan, is now entering its sixth year, and has developed into an increasingly complex situation, with Darfur rebel groups fragmenting, and inter-tribal conflict increasing, with each group seeking to seize and hold its own territory.

The lack of security in rural areas has lead to widespread banditry, making road travel precarious in many parts of Darfur. The violence in Darfur has had a spill-over effect into neighboring Chad, which is also facing its own internal conflicts.

The hybrid UN/Africa Union Mission (UNAMID) was inaugurated at the start of 2008 but the force has not been built up to its planned strength of 26,000 troops and lacks logistical capacity. The Prosecutor for the International Criminal Court presented an application for the indictment of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir in July 2008 and the judges' decision on this is expected early this year. There are concerns that their decision might have some implications on the relationship between the Sudanese government and the international community.

The humanitarian situation continues to be alarming, with 290,000 newly-displaced during the first nine months of 2008. This brings the total number of internally displaced persons up to 2.69 million and the total number affected (including host communities) to 4.72 million.

Access to the affected population has become more and more restricted due to the lack of security. Attacks on humanitarian workers and their accommodation increased, and the hijacking of vehicles has continued. The security situation does not favor the return of displaced people to their former settlements, hence the need for a sustained humanitarian response for 2009 and beyond. Interruptions to the food aid pipeline lead to a reduction in the World Food Program's general ration to 65 percent of what it normally would have provided.

RESPONSE: Church World Service continues its support of the joint Action by Churches Together Alliance and Caritas Internationalis Confederation program, which is cooperating in a joint emergency response under the auspices of CWS partner Norwegian Church Aid.

Through their willingness to share resources and work together under a single management structure, the CWS-supported partnership has been able to demonstrate a unity of purpose through practical action. With support from 60 member organizations, the program has already been sustained for more than four years in responding to what is a chronic emergency. It is one of the largest humanitarian programs in South and West Darfur and is recognized by the UN and other observers as an important element in the international relief program.

The 2009 program, still based in South and West Darfur, will continue to operate in all key sectors and as a part of quality control measures there will be independent evaluations of three sectors: health and nutrition, water and sanitation and peace-building, psycho-social and protection.

This overall ACT/Caritas appeal seeks a total of $11.8 million. This represents a 15 percent reduction from the total of $13.6million requested for the 2008 appeal, though the numbers of those served will remain close to those assisted in 2008: 235,135 for water and sanitation; 236,300 for health and nutrition; 130,000 for emergency response; 67,807 for Psychosocial, Protection, Peace building; 26,860 for agriculture and 13,295 for school support. (There is some overlap in these numbers, hence the maximum served will be 236,300.)

Achievements during 2008: - Eleven primary health care facilities (nine primary health centers, one dispensary and one mobile clinic) provided access to curative and preventative health care services. A total of 142,142 consultations presenting with 174,897 disease conditions treated from January - September 2008.

- Two primary health clinics in Al Dhein handed over in June 2008 to the Sudan Ministry of Health and local communities.

- One new primary health clinic in Hassa Hissa Camp (Zalingei) West Darfur constructed.

- A total of 49.6 percent of pregnant women attending the health facilities received a comprehensive package of service to promote safe motherhood.

- Supported five nutrition centers and a total of 23,854 beneficiaries (15,541 children under five years of age and 8,313 pregnant and lactating women) benefited from the supplementary feeding from January to September 2008. A total of 27,476 community members participated in nutrition and appropriate child care message sessions.

- Supported one nutritional survey in Kurdol - Wadi Salih locality in West Darfur through the Sudan Ministry of Health.

- One hundred twenty five midwives and traditional birth attendants received refresher training on safe motherhood and clean delivery practices through NCA support.

- Supported Sudan Ministry of Health to conduct training on management of severe malnutrition for 26 staff (14 medical doctors and 12 nutrition nurses). Five hundred twenty three staff members (340 Health staff & 183 Nutrition staff) received trainings on various key topics.

- A total of 74,993 community members received health, nutrition and hygiene education in the health facilities (57,602) and nutrition centers (17,391).

- Two vehicles donated to South Darfur Sudan Ministry of Health to promote child survival initiative activities.

- Completed and furnished nutrition ward and kitchen at Garsila hospital, Wadi Saleh locality.

- Supported the construction of one nutrition training hall in Nyala teaching hospital. Some of the expected outcomes for 2009: About 207,500 internally displaced persons and host communities access appropriate treatment for morbidity conditions in 10 health facilities in South and West Darfur.

- About 28,800 malnourished children, as well as pregnant and lactating women fed in five nutrition centres in South and West Darfur.

- Routine out patient consultations undertaken six days per week.

- Promote routine vaccination in all health facilities.

- Monthly supply of essential drugs and medical materials / equipments to the health facilities.

- Seventy five percent of pregnant women (12,600) will receive an integrated package of immunization that includes protection against tetanus toxoid and malaria.

- About 1,100 mothers attending postnatal clinic receive vitamin A.

- Reduction of mortality / morbidity related to malnutrition as indicated in nutrition survey.

- About 235,135 IDPs and host communities are reached through clean water provision, sanitation facilities, hygiene promotion sessions and other community training interventions.

- Maintain provision of clean, safe and palatable water provided at an average of 15 litres per beneficiary per day in the camps and 7.5 litres per person per day in the villages through upgrading, maintenance and operation of existing water services through the construction of 21 new boreholes and four open hand-dug wells; rehabilitation of five hand-dug wells, operation and maintenance of motorised water supply systems, and maintenance of 69 hand pumps through trained community pump mechanics and water committees; replacing five diesel motorized water systems in the camps with solar powered system.

HOW TO HELP: Contributions to support this emergency appeal may be made online, sent to your denomination or to Church World Service, P.O. Box 968, Elkhart, IN, 46515. Please designate: 2009 Darfur (Sudan) Humanitarian Response, Appeal Number #642-E


[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]

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[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]

Background information

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