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CDC Survey Documents Serious Crisis In
Sudanese Refugee Children
HHS/CDC recommend immediate increase in feeding programs,
food rations, and public health measures
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Sudanese children in refugee camps in northeastern Chad risk serious
illness or death from lack of food, clean water, shelter, and health
care, say survey findings released today by the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, an agency of the U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services.
The emergency nutrition and mortality survey performed by CDC in
June at the request of the United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees (UNHCR) found acute malnutrition at rates of up to 39% in
refugee camps and border settlements. A rate above 20% signals a
serious crisis,
according to Médecins Sans Frontières
(Doctors Without Borders). |
“Sudanese
refugee children in Chad are experiencing a major nutritional crisis
similar to those seen in Ethiopia in 1999 and in Goma in 2000,” said
Dr. Basia Tomczyk, CDC epidemiologist and survey team leader. “The
good news is that public health intervention now would save
children’s lives.”
CDC found that
among children ages 6 months to 5 years in refugee camps and
border settlements
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36–39 percent are
malnourished,
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35–58 percent
have diarrhea, and
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measles vaccination is inadequate (ranging from 24–83
percent in the camps and settlements) to prevent outbreaks.
Factors
contributing to the crisis, in addition to insufficient food,
include lack of drinking water and sanitation and limited
availability and access to health and nutritional care. The health
crisis is complicated by onset of the rainy season and continuing
threats of violence, which make it difficult for aid workers to
reach populations along the Chad–Sudanese border.
The CDC survey team
recommends immediate steps to reduce the threat:
- Increase and expand supplemental
feeding programs (high-quality dietary supplements for moderately
malnourished people).
- Increase and expand therapeutic
feeding programs (intensive medical care and dietary treatment for
severely malnourished people).
- Increase the general food ration
for the entire refugee population.
- Expand measles vaccination to
children ages 6 months to 15 years.
- Increase treatment and
prevention of diarrheal diseases.
- Increase water, shelter,
sanitation and health services.
"UNHCR welcomes the
report and, in close collaboration with partners, has already begun
to implement its recommendations,” said UNHCR Assistant High
Commissioner Kamel Morjane.
To date this year,
the U.S. Government has provided $28.6 million for emergency refugee
assistance in eastern Chad, including $14.2 million to the UNHCR,
$8.9 million to the World Food Program, and $5.5 million to other
non-governmental organizations and international organizations.
Additional international donor support is urgently needed.
For more
information:
Emergency
Nutrition and Mortality Surveys Conducted Among Sudanese Refugees
and Chadian Villagers, Northeast Chad, June 2004 (PDF
1.54 MB)
Emergency Nutrition and Mortality Surveys, Northeast Chad, June 2004
(Powerpoint Slides 4 MB)
Comparison of Global Acute Malnutrition and Crude Mortality Rates:
Refugees in Goma (1994), Gode, Ethiopia (1999-2000) and Chad (2004)
(PDF, 100K)
The survey project
involved multiple agencies, including UNHCR, United Nations
Children's Fund, World Health Organization, World Food Program,
Chadian Ministry of Health’s Centre National de Nutrition et
Technique Alimentaire, Médecins Sans Frontières–Belgium,
International Medical Corps, and International Rescue Committee.
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Related Links:
Emergency
Nutrition and Mortality Surveys Conducted Among Sudanese Refugees and
Chadian Villagers, Northeast Chad, June 2004 (PDF
1.54 MB)
Emergency
Nutrition and Mortality Surveys, Northeast Chad, June 2004
(Powerpoint Slides
4 MB)
Comparison of Global Acute Malnutrition and Crude Mortality Rates: Refugees
in Goma (1994), Gode, Ethiopia (1999-2000) and Chad (2004)
(PDF, 100K)
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