Situation Report: Greater Horn of Africa Food Insecurity and Health - Grade 3 Emergency — 1 September - 31 October 2023

Overview

• Countries in the Horn are experiencing increased rainfall resulting in flooding and river overflows influenced by El-Niño and a positive Indian Ocean Dipole. This has resulted in the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people, cutting off road networks, damaging infrastructure and affecting human health.
  
• 49.3 million people in the region are food insecure (IPC3+) experiencing crisis levels of acute
• Food insecurity and above; 8.2 million people are in IPC phase 4 and 43,000 in IPC phase 5 (South Sudan). 
• More than 11.1 million children under the age of five are suffering from acute malnutrition, of which 2.7 million will require treatment for severe acute malnutrition in 2023. 
• Over 19.4 million people have been displaced due to conflict, drought, and flooding. Out of these 14.5 million are internally displaced, while 4.5 million are refugees and asylum seekers (as of 30 September 2023). Out of the total number of IDPs, 10.1 million were displaced due to conflict and 4.4 million due to natural disaster.
  
• Admission trends for severe acute malnutrition (SAM) have shown a decrease in the majority of countries in the region which can likely be attributed to improved pasture, but also to a reduction of outreach activities (funding shortages) and flooding affecting the access to health services.
  
• Between January and October 2023, compared to the same period in 2022, there were over 43% (155,480) more SAM admissions in Somalia, and 38% (28,705) more in Kenya, 9% (over 19,000) more in South Sudan, and 11% (461) more admissions in Djibouti.
  
• The region is battling with multiple outbreaks of diseases including cholera in four countries, measles and malaria in all seven countries, and dengue fever in Ethiopia, Djibouti, Sudan and Somalia. In Sudan, a cholera outbreak was declared on 26th September 2023 in Gedaref state, and in South Kordofan and Khartoum state on 7th October 2023.
  
• WHO continues to provide support on leadership and coordination, surveillance and health information, outbreak prevention and control, essential nutrition actions and health services.