Action Against Hunger Steps Up Emergency Response to Ivory Coast Crisis

 Copyright ACF, Ivory Coast

Abidjan, Ivory Coast -  As the humanitarian situation in Ivory Coast worsens following contested elections last November, Action Against Hunger | ACF International is scaling up its emergency response to assist thousands of families fleeing their homes in the west of the country.  The international humanitarian organisation is stepping up its programmes to address malnutrition and inadequate sanitation in some of the worst affected areas, including Duékué, Man and Danane, as well as providing assistance to refugees fleeing to neighbouring Liberia.

As the crisis unfolds, the food security situation in the region is becoming ever more precarious.  “Farmers have been unable to harvest their fields due to the insecurity and massive influx of displaced people to the region,” said Yann Dutertre, Country Director for Action Against Hunger in Ivory Coast. “Others lost their stocks due to looting or have already consumed the small amount of food they had left. Conditions have been made even more difficult by the low supply and high demand of staple food which has elevated prices, making it ever more challenging for families to access food

The crisis has also disrupted access to public health services, putting young children at increasing risk of malnutrition. Action Against Hunger has launched a comprehensive nutrition programme to address this crisis and treat 4,500 malnourished children under the age of five. ACF is also training local health teams to provide care to malnourished children as well as organising awareness-raising sessions on adequate hygiene and appropriate caring practices for pregnant women and mothers who are breastfeeding.

With the influx of people into western Ivory Coast and Liberia placing enormous strains on local communities, the water and sanitation situation has also become critical. Action Against Hunger’s teams have therefore launched water, sanitation and hygiene programmes to address the rapidly deteriorating living conditions and prevent disease outbreaks by distributing hygiene kits and launching public health promotion sessions for 2,000 families.

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FIELD DIARY: IVORY COAST CRISIS

Philip James, ACF's Emergency Nutrition Coordinator, reports from the Ivory Coast / Liberia border

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