SOMALIA: Monthly Nutrition Update (March, 06)
The United Nations’ Food Security Assessment Unit (FSAU) for Somalia issued its Monthly nutrition update and says:
The preliminary findings of the nutrition assessment in Gedo Region (excluding Bardera Town) in March 2006 indicate a critical nutrition situation and ‘alert’ crude and under five mortality rates. Early and comprehensive interventions and strong coping strategies are likely to be preventing a greater deterioration although separate surveillance activities in targeted areas shows the levels of malnutrition have already deteriorated very dramatically. Detailed analysis of the findings is currently on-going. The findings of the Qansadheere nutrition assessment conducted in January 2006 also indicate a critical nutrition situation.
A detailed update on the current food security situation is available in FSAU’s other monthly publication ‘Food Security and Nutrition Brief’, March 2006. Detailed data from targeted sentinel sites are also available at FSAU.