CAR: Alarming Levels of Malnutrition Among Refugee Children and Women Flooding Cameroon
By Staff Writer
A recent United Nations assessment presented by Félicité Tchibindat in Cameroon indicate that one out of every three refugee children from Central African Republic of Congo (CAR) suffer from malnutrition
Tchibindat, a UNICEF Representative in Cameroon said Children who have survived the horror in the CAR are now at risk of dying from malnutrition and its complications.
"Death is stalking these children. It is alarming to see entire families undernourished - including older children and women," she said.
Since December last year, more than 100,000 CAR refugees with over half being children have crossed into Cameroon after walking and hiding in the bush for weeks, and at times for months.
30% of these children are below five years and arrived suffering from malnutrition, a rate almost twice as high as the 15% considered 'critical' in most emergency situations.
Mean while one out of every five pregnant and lactating refugee mothers also arrived in Cameroon malnourished, putting their babies at increased risk.
At least 17% of children admitted into inpatients facilities suffering from malnutrition are over 5 years old.
Members of the mission, who included experts from UNICEF, the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the World Food Programme (WFP), said they witnessed hospital wards with a lot of emaciated, sick children, two to three sharing a bed.
In the inpatient center of Batouri close to the border, the mortality rate in May 2014 exceeded 24%.
UNICEF, UNHCR and WFP have stepped up their efforts to provide these children and their families with the nutrition assistance they need. All children below the age of 10 are receiving supplementary feeding and ready to use therapeutic foods.
Mobile clinics are also providing nutritional assistance to malnourished children residing with host communities.
Since March 2014, more than 1,600 children with severe acute malnutrition were admitted in the therapeutic feeding centers available at the arrival points and refugees’ sites and hospitals. Another 9,000 children and 2,000 mothers received supplementary feeding. In total, more than 50,000 people were provided with food assistance through UN agencies and NGOs.
"It is no exaggeration to say this nutrition crisis has well surpassed critical level," said Gian Carlo Cirri, WFP Cameroon Country Director. “WFP is implementing an aggressive response to ensure the absolute maximum nutrition support.”
Despite the urgency, of $9 million requested for the nutrition response for CAR refugees in Cameroon in the strategic response plan, only 2% has been received so far. Additional lives will be lost if the international community does not step up its support.