PHA-Exch> Gaza Crisis and Nutrition Cluster support update 12 Jan 2009

[Claudio Schuftan]

From: Ted Greiner <tedgreiner at yahoo.com>
  *From:* Bruce Cogill <bcogill at unicef.org>

For the past week and for this week, I am working with the UNICEF Country
Team for the Occupied Palestinian Territories (oPt) and the UNICEF Regional
Office in dealing with the on going crisis in the Gaza Strip.  In addition
to Nutrition, the initial surge response to the crisis includes deployment
of support staff within UNICEF  from WASH, Protection, and Logistics.

General Situation

Since the land invasion began on the 3 January following air bombardment
and many months of declining economic and living conditions in the region,
there has been a large loss of life and worsening food security and
nutrition in Gaza.  Gaza has a population of 1.4 million and has suffered
over 900 deaths, 40 percent of whom have been women and children.

Efforts by the international community to call for a cease fire and
stronger humanitarian response in Gaza continue against a backdrop of
severe restrictions on movement and access.  The Israeli Defense Force
allows 3 hours per day of access.  This time is a period of cease fire but
is of limited use due to the restricted access by trucks and a lack of
internal distribution of food, medicines, water and other essential goods
and services.

It is estimated that 400,000 people, most of them in Gaza city, do not have
access to piped water. It is reported that sewage is flooding into the
streets as the result of the damage to the sewage network. Gaza city
wastewater treatment plant was hit on Saturday (10 January).

Information on the food and nutrition situation is scant.  Anecdotal
reports suggest rapidly diminishing supplies at the household level and
limited access to food stores.

There are three entry points by road into Gaza and with the on-going
military operation, three key areas in the region: Gaza City, Gaza central
and the South which borders on Egypt.

The Agencies

The agencies (UN, NGO, Private) operating in Gaza are many with the bulk of
the population served by UNWRA (The United Nations Relief and Works Agency
for Palestine Refugee): http://www.un.org/unrwa/english.html

UNRWA distributed food through distribution sites and specifically to
"hardship" cases on 10 January. Seven of ten food distribution centres were
also restocked. WFP also distributed food on 9 and 10 January (including
4,489 tonnes of food parcels; 3,150 kilos of bread; and 1,180 metric tonnes
of high-energy biscuits) in collaboration with CHF International (
http://www.chfinternational.org/wbgaza). On 11 January, WFP launched
Operation Lifeline Gaza, a global appeal to increase food distribution to
Gaza. http://www.wfp.org/english/?ModuleID=137&Key=3035

WFP complements the food provided by UNRWA.  WFP has reported that it has
food stocks sufficient to feed almost 360,000 people for the next three
weeks, but the heavy fighting has limited the possibility of wide-scale
distributions. Many truck drivers and fork lift truck operators have been
unwilling to work due to the insecurity and the civilian population is
often too frightened to go to food distribution points.

OCHA has also been coordinating the emergency response from East Jerusalem
and updated information can be seen at: http://www.ochaopt.org/

In addition to the UN agencies and international NGOs mostly based in
Jerusalem for support to Gaza while the land invasion continues, Gaza is
also supported by the Palestinian Ministry of Health with its headquarters
in Ramallah. http://moh.ps/en/

UNFPA delivered Reproductive Health emergency kits to UNRWA to be
transported to Gaza; UNFPA also assigned staff to support the work of the
emergency operation room of Ministry of Health. The emergency operation,
responsible for following up on the health situation in Gaza, has been
established in the Palestinian Ministry of Health in collaboration with WHO
and other international and local partners.

>From a nutrition point of view, we have strong country representation from
WFP, FAO, and WHO.  UNICEF, as global cluster lead for nutrition, is
committed to supporting the response in Gaza. The UNICEF Country Team is
support both the immediate nutrition response as well as looking to the
future to improve nutrition especially in women and children.

The Cluster Approach

There are two formal clusters and a number of sector responses.  In
addition to the Protection and Logistics Cluster, there is a Food Security
and Nutrition Sector lead by WFP and FAO.  We are actively working with our
partners including OCHA (http://www.ochaopt.org/) on ensuring nutrition
coordination and integration with other sectors including Health,
Protection, Education, WASH and Logistics.

The next Food Security and Nutrition Sector meeting is Tuesday, 13 January
2009

Key Issues for Nutrition

Infant and young child feeding and maternal nutrition are the key areas
with micronutrient nutrition together with the treatment and prevention of
moderate and severe acute malnutrition.  Rates of undernutrition in Gaza
prior to the emergency indicate low rates of wasting and stunting rates
around 15% (<2 sd for Ht/Age for under fives).  Survey data collected in
2008 and prior to this emergency indicate approximately 3 % of infants and
children 6-59 months have MUACs below 115 mm.  This is approximately 8,500
infants and children that could benefit from therapeutic feeding.  This
number is likely to increase as the survey data were from earlier in 2008
and the situation has worsened since that time.

The access to quality complementary food continues to be of concern and we
are working with UNWRA and the Food Security and Nutrition Sector on the
supply of commodities to support complementary feeding.

Micronutrient deficiencies are also of concern given the limited food
availability and UNICEF has procured multi micronutrient tablets and the
food basket from WFP and UNWRA include fortified flour, high energy
biscuits, bread and fortified beverages produced in the West Bank.

Rates of exclusive breast feeding for infants under six months of age in
Gaza are low (around 20%).  This suggests the need to ensure that
breastfeeding is encouraged where possible and that the needs of infants
requiring breast milk substitutes are met.  UNICEF does not procure breast
milk substitutes and works to discourage their procurement and
distribution.  Part of the food basket provided by UNWRA and the MOH
includes donated powdered milk.  UNICEF, together with its partners, is
working with UNWRA and others to ensure that guidance is available to
support breast feeding.  Already reports have emerged that mothers cannot
breast feed their infants and that formula is needed.

The Infant Feeding in Emergencies Core Group, with support from the Global
Nutrition Cluster, has prepared media briefing notes in various languages,
including Arabic, on: Protecting infants in emergencies: Information for
the Media.  These very useful materials can be downloaded from:
http://www.ennonline.net/

Marie McGrath and her colleagues from ENN and the IFE Core Group have been
very helpful in monitoring the situation and in being available to support
the Gaza response.  Their website has current information on the situation.

We are working with the Food Security and Nutrition Sector, UNWRA and
others to ensure that the donated milk powder is minimized and that mothers
are supported in their infant feeding choices.

Finally, information management is key.  Capacity mapping and needs
assessment need to be done and will require constant updating.  We are
working the cluster and with OCHA on a systematic process for assessments.
While access is limited we are relying on the best information that is
available.

The key challenges are 1) Security and lack of access to warehouse due to
ongoing fighting on the ground, 2) No provision of safe routes for the UN/
UNICEF to deliver urgently needed supplies, ultimately impacting UN
response to the crisis in Gaza, 3) Possibility of protracted conflict so
need for scenario planning

For the latest on the Gaza Crisis, go to OCHA's website:
http://www.ochaopt.org/
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://phm.phmovement.org/pipermail/phm-exchange-phmovement.org/attachments/20090113/0b5aecd8/attachment-0001.html>