Dramatic increase in malnutrition rates in Northern Burundi - UN country team appeals to donors for additional assistance

Provinces in northern Burundi have observed a dramatic increase in malnutrition rates in recent months due to consecutive drought-induced poor harvests and a malaria epidemic. UNICEF reports that admissions to nutritional centres have increased up to 68 % countrywide since September 2000.
While 46,700 individuals suffering from malnutrition were admitted to Supplementary Feeding Centres in September 2000, three months later, in December, the number had risen to 80,000. Developments in Therapeutic Feeding Centres are similarly worrying. 2,800 severely malnourished patients were newly admitted in September 2000, 4,000 in December, UNICEF says. The province of Karuzi is of particular concern. Other provinces affected are Kayanza, Muyinga and Ngozi.

The health NGO Medicins sans Frontières (MSF) says the situation in Karuzi province may deteriorate beyond control, if general food distributions are not commenced immediately. The organization is currently supplying rations to 18,000 beneficiaries in Supplementary Feeding Centres and treating 1,000 severely malnourished children in their Therapeutic Feeding Centres. Rates in Supplementary Feeding Centres are five times higher than in normal years, and nine times higher in Therapeutic Feeding Centres. Due to capacity problems the latter have been forced to accept only the worst affected children (70 % of which suffer from malaria, many others from anaemia) and to reject adult patients altogether.

Other NGOs running nutritional programs in northern Burundi, in the eastern regions and Bujumbura Rural, such as ACF IMC MSF B GVC CAD CARITAS etc., report similarly worrying malnutrition rates for the province of Kayanza, Muyinga, Ngozi, Rutana, Bubanza and Kirundo.

Reacting to the crisis, the World Food Programme (WFP) has distributed food rations to 175,000 beneficiaries during the first half of January. The agency says, that it may soon face difficulties responding to the rapidly deteriorating situation in northern Burundi which has tremendously increased the needs, therefore considerably depleting the stocks. The family rations distributed in addition to that have also contributed to affect the food stocks availabilities

According to WFP, the situation is further aggravated by shortages of Corn Soya Blend (CSB) and oil, which is combined to a strengthening mixture, which is given to patients suffering from malnutrition. To make up for the lack of CSB and oil UNICEF have requested a total of 500 Mt of Unimix, the first shipment of which is expected to arrive on 29 January. The agency says that this amount will feed 70,000 children for the period of one month.

The United Nation's working group on health and nutrition, in close collaboration with the NGO community and the donors, is assessing strategic medium and long-term solutions, in order to address the problem but also to avoid recurrence.

Burundi remains one of the most under-funded of all humanitarian emergencies globally. For the year 2000, the UN received only one quarter of the funds its had appealed for. The UN country team in Burundi, along with the humanitarian community, urges donor community to strengthen their support to effectively help those suffering from malnutrition and severe malnutrition in northern Burundi.