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Southern
African Humanitarian Crisis update 4 Aug 2004
UN
Regional Inter-Agency Coordination and Support Office
August 04, 2004
View
this document on www.reliefweb.int
RIACSO provides support
to national efforts in addressing the southern African triple threat of
food insecurity, weakened capacity for governance and HIV/AIDS and ensures
cohesion and complementarity of the effort at a regional level. In addition,
RIACSO supports the UN Secretary General's Special Envoy for Humanitarian
Needs in Southern Africa, Mr. James Morris, in his mandate to raise awareness
of the situation, its underlying causes and to provide recommendations
on how to strengthen the response and mobilise donor support.
Regional and country
specific developments
New statistics
on HIV/AIDS a silent testimony of human tragedy
According to the 2004 UNAIDS Global Report on the AIDS Epidemic, launched
on 6 July 2004, southern Africa remains at the epicenter of the epidemic.
An estimated 10.75 million people (9,066,000-13,440,000) were living with
HIV at the end of 2001. This number increased to over 11.6 million (9,517,000-14,620,000)
by the end of 2003. South Africa still remains the country with the highest
number of infected people at 5.3 million. As the epidemic evolves, the
number of deaths in the region are increasing. The estimated number of
deaths amongst adults and children as a result of HIV/AIDS increased from
776 000 deaths (445,300-1,114,000) during 2001, to 957 000 deaths (666,600-1,231,000)
during 2003. Prevalence rates in the region remain high. Swaziland has
the highest HIV prevalence rate at 38.8 percent (37.2-40.4) followed by
Botswana's 37.3 percent (35.5-39.1). Women and Girls continue to bear
the brunt of the epidemic. In 2003 it was estimated that some 6 million
women and girls (5,174,000-8,200,000) in southern Africa were living with
HIV/AIDS. As an increasing number of adults die as a result of AIDS related
illnesses, the number of orphans in the region continues to grow. By the
end of 2003 it was estimated that AIDS orphaned just over four million
children (2,668,000-5,721,000) in Southern Africa. Factors fuelling the
epidemic in southern Africa include poverty, social instability, high
levels of sexually transmitted diseases, the status of women, sexual violence,
the mobility of the population and ineffective leadership during critical
periods in the spread of HIV. Also see the UNAIDS RST/ESA Bulletin of
July 2004 on www.unaids.org
Basic survival
of some still not guaranteed
Vulnerability
Assessment Committee (VAC) results in five countries show that despite
improvements in agricultural production levels, compared to 2002 and 2003,
large pockets of extreme vulnerable populations remain as a result of
erratic rains, HIV/AIDS, chronic and deep poverty and governance issues.
Continued humanitarian assistance will be needed by some to ensure the
food needs of more than 5 million people are met. The situation in Zambia
has improved with the country producing a surplus.
Lesotho:
The Lesotho VAC has estimated that some 950,000 people would need some
kind of assistance to meet their food consumption needs. Some of the factors
affecting these people are fewer employment opportunities in Lesotho and
South Africa, poor livestock conditions, continued erratic weather patterns
and high HIV/AIDS prevalence rates.
Malawi:
The results of the Malawi VAC show that in the best-case scenario (where
maize price levels in the main purchasing period (December 2004 to March
2005) will not exceed inflation rates) up to 1.3 million people will require
some form of assistance to meet minimum food requirements. One of the
main contributing factors to food insecurity in Malawi is extremely low
household income. The poorest third of most communities earn between US$
90 and US$ 270 per year. On average, this means that people have to survive
on between US 24-72 cents per day. Many households will not have the ability
to purchase food this year nor will they be in a position to diverse their
food basket by selling part of their harvest. People will be living on
a bare minimum over the year ahead and will be extremely vulnerable to
economic fluctuations in market prices. For example, the Malawi VAC estimates
that the number of people in need of assistance will grow to some 1.7
million if maize price levels increase to 30% above inflation rates.
Mozambique:
The Mozambique VAC reports a sharp decrease in food insecurity levels,
mainly due to favourable rainfall in the second half of the season as
well as ongoing interventions aimed at improving food security. Despite
this positive improvement, a reported 108,000 people will require continued
emergency support and an additional 94,000 people are highly food insecure
and may require emergency assistance from October 2004 until March 2005.
Also dampening the positive news somewhat is data that shows that an estimated
10% of the interviewed households have a family member who has been sick
for three months during the last year (chronic illness is commonly used
a proxy indicator for HIV/AIDS). These high rates of chronic illness were
reported among the economically productive age groups (18-45 years), and
the rate was even higher among household heads.
Swaziland:
The Swaziland VAC reported that livelihoods were being undermined by depressed
employment opportunities due to economic slow-down, poor agricultural
production because of erratic rains and insufficient inputs, plus rising
staple food prices and the effects of HIV/AIDS. Some 600,000 people will
be income and food deficient and will need assistance to meet the minimum
food requirements.
Zambia:
In anticipation of a good harvest, no nation-wide VAC was held in Zambia.
A vulnerability assessment was done, led by the VAC, to assess the effects
on livelihoods in the flood affected Western and North-Western Provinces.
An estimated 39,000 people were found food insecure and in need of assistance.
Zimbabwe:
The results of the Zimbabwe VAC show that approximately 2.3 million people
in rural areas will not be able to meet their minimum cereal requirements
over the 2004/5 marketing year. The largest number of food insecure people
was found in Manicaland, in the east of Zimbabwe. In percentage terms
however, the two Matabeleland Provinces in the south of Zimbabwe remain
the most food deficient. Traditionally, the southern Provinces are more
arid and are as a result more food insecure. Urban food insecurity was
not assessed by the April 2004 ZimVAC, but remains an area of concern.
The purchasing power of the urban poor is, according to the latest FEWSNET
report, significantly lower than the cost of the monthly expenditure basket.
Availability of basic commodities on the market has remained relatively
stable though.
Lack of capacity
is affecting national ability to provide basic needs
From 14
to 22 June 2004, the Special Envoy for Humanitarian Needs in southern
Africa, Mr. James Morris, travelled to Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland and
Namibia, accompanied by representatives from FAO, UNICEF, UNDP, UNFPA,
UNAIDS, WHO, OCHA and WFP. One of the major findings of the mission was
a crippling lack of human resources affecting the public sectors across
the region, especially in the areas of agriculture, education and health.
In most cases, training institutions are unable to keep up with the attrition
rate of teachers, extension workers and healthcare professionals because
of economic migration or prolonged illness and deaths related to HIV/AIDS.
Losses at senior and managerial levels will also have an ongoing effect.
In Malawi, the Ministry of Health reports a startling 90 percent vacancy
rate for physicians and a 60 percent vacancy rate for nurses in the state
health system. The mission concluded that the United Nations should help
to rebuild and replenish the human and technological resources of the
civil services of these countries as a matter of great urgency. The mission
further found that capacity issues are also causing substantial delays
in using the external funds already allocated to many countries of the
region for combating HIV/AIDS. Finding ways to translate the funds into
tangible actions that improve peoples' lives is an urgent and major challenge.
Moreover, these funds should not necessarily be focused narrowly on the
treatment of HIV/AIDS: they should also be used to address some of the
root causes of the pandemic.
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