The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) remains extremely concerned about the humanitarian situation facing the Somali population. Over the course of 2007, many Somalis have had to cope with the ongoing conflict, as well as natural disasters. The situation remains particularly desperate in Mogadishu, which has been the scene of repeated fighting.
"Our priority has been to provide assistance to those affected by the conflict, particularly the displaced and to ensure the maintenance of essential health services," says Pascal Hundt, the Head of the ICRC's Somalia Delegation. "The ICRC has repeatedly reminded all parties to the conflict that they must respect the rules of international humanitarian law, and take constant care in the conduct of military operations to safeguard the lives and dignity of the civilian population, and to protect medical institutions and staff."
Medical Assistance
In Mogadishu, the ICRC supports two surgical referral hospitals, Madina and Keysaney. Since the month of August, an ICRC-supported team of surgeons from the Qatari Red Crescent Society has been working at the Keysaney Hospital, which is managed by the Somali Red Crescent Society.
In 2007, the two hospitals treated more than 4,000 patients wounded in the conflict - double the number of weapon wounded admitted to the two hospitals in 2006. One third of this year's patients were women or children under 15 years of age.
During 2007, the number of surgical operations in the two hospitals increased by 62 per cent compared to the previous year, exceeding 8,500 interventions. Roughly half the cases were people wounded in the fighting," explains Dr. Pierre Gratzl, the ICRC's Medical Coordinator for Somalia. "This illustrates the twofold impact of the conflict. The increase in the number of those wounded in the fighting has been compounded by the severe reduction in all medical services available to the population. Mogadishu used to have about a dozen hospitals, now there are only three or four left including the two referral hospitals we are supporting."
The ICRC has helped cover operational costs at the two hospitals, as well as provided medical supplies, training and surgical staff. Its surgical team also helps out at other hospitals in various conflict-prone regions of the country which have also received ICRC medical supplies.
In addition, the ICRC supports 24 medical
clinics operated by the Somali Red Crescent Society, providing medical
supplies, drugs, salaries, infrastructure support and training. In 2007,
these medical clinics, many of which are located in remote areas of southern
and central Somalia, offered 147,000 consultations, mostly to women and
children.
This year, the ICRC delivered a total of just over 206 tons of medical supplies to hospitals and other health structures in Somalia, a 50 per cent increase over the previous year. The supplies included surgical material, kits to treat people wounded in the conflict and medication.
Essential water, food and household assistance for the displaced
In addition to medical services, the ICRC has also provided direct assistance to the repeated waves of people forced to flee their homes because of the fighting. During the year, over 800,000 people received essential household items in south and central Somalia, in the areas around Mogadishu, and in the northern Sool region. Over 230,000 people forced to flee Mogadishu received a three-month food ration. Around 21 million litres of water were distributed to them in the first quarter of the year.
Given the scope of the humanitarian situation in Somalia, the ICRC's primary focus has been on emergency assistance. It also helps people mitigate the effects of the conflict and natural disasters, through a variety of water and sanitation projects as well as livelihood support programs.
In the first part of 2007, the ICRC provided more than 71,000 farming families with seeds. Later in the year, during the second rainy season, another 26,750 families also received seeds and two-month food rations. In addition, 14 rainwater catchments were rehabilitated through cash-for-work programs, which provided much needed income to over 6,000 families.
Another 10,000 families in riverfront areas received treated mosquito nets. Some 280,000 sandbags were distributed to 45 villages to reinforce riverbanks before the flood seasons, and 15 river dikes were also reinforced. When a cholera outbreak threatened the central region, 1.3 million litres of chlorinated water were distributed to local residents.
A total of 10 boreholes, 52 wells, 24 rainwater catchment systems and two water treatment plants were constructed or rehabilitated during the year. An estimated 450,000 people benefited from ICRC water and sanitation projects during the first 10 months of 2007.
Restoring family links
Another important part of the ICRC's work is to re-establish and maintain contacts between family members separated by conflict. In cooperation with the Somali Red Crescent, the ICRC collected close to 6,000 Red Cross Messages and distributed more than 10,000 messages, many from outside the country. Over 1,000 tracing files were opened on behalf of people searching for family members and over 100 ICRC travel documents were issued.
The head of delegation, Pascal Hundt, is worried about the evolution of the humanitarian situation in Somalia. "Flooding and drought remain alternating threats, together with the protracted conflict. We have no idea when the people of Mogadishu, and others who have been displaced, will be willing to return home. This is putting enormous strain on them and on the communities which have taken them in."
"The people of Somalia have demonstrated incredible resilience in the face of this succession of tragedies," concludes Mr Hundt. "For 2008, the ICRC has renewed its commitment to remain as close to them as possible as they continue to cope with the effects of the conflict and natural disasters."
For further information, please contact:
Pedram Yazdi, ICRC Somalia, tel. + 254 722 518 142
Bernard Barrett, ICRC Nairobi, tel. + 254 722 512 728
Anna Schaaf, ICRC Geneva, tel. +41 79 217 32 17
or visit our website: www.icrc.org
