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We provide live updates of countries with existing humanitarian crises or prone to disasters.
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highlights
Every week, we publish new highlights on recent humanitarian developments to enable crisis responders to prioritise based on the needs of affected populations.
03/10/2023
Sudan
Sudan is facing several disease outbreaks, including cholera and dengue fever. In Gedaref state, there were 264 suspected cholera cases, four confirmed cases, and 16 deaths as at 25 September 2023. Insecurity and access constraints challenge the testing and collecting of samples in Khartoum and South Kordofan states, where cholera has also possibly spread. There are shortages in testing kits and vaccine supplies. The rainy season, the impact of the conflict on the healthcare system, and water pollution are contributing to the spread of the disease. As at 18 September, unhygienic water storing in homes had also resulted in 506 recorded cases of dengue fever (including 295 confirmed), mostly in Gedaref state. Healthcare needs are likely high, as 70% of the hospitals in conflict-affected areas are non-functional. The remaining hospitals are overwhelmed with patients, with shortages of medical supplies and staff. (WHO 29/09/2023, UN 29/09/2023, OCHA 28/09/2023)
02/10/2023
Myanmar
In September 2023, intense fighting in Sagaing region in Myanmar displaced more than 30,000 people. Since the military coup in 2021, 1.65 million people have been displaced across the country, around 814,000 of whom are in Sagaing. Several townships in the region face frequent military raids, resulting in multiple displacement for some of these people. Indiscriminate shelling, air strikes and the presence of explosive ordnance, cases of arbitrary arrest and detention, and property destruction threaten the safety and security of civilians. Newly displaced people are in urgent need of shelter, food, potable water, medicine, basic healthcare and WASH services, and relief items, such as tarpaulins, jerrycans, and hygiene kits. Humanitarian access in the region remains very limited by bureaucratic barriers (such as the refusal of travel authorisations), armed conflict between the military junta and the anti-coup resistance forces, the increased presence of landmines, poor internet access, and heavy rains. (OCHA 02/10/2023, The Irrawaddy 26/09/2023)
28/09/2023
Somalia
In July 2023, a confidential UN investigation found aid misuse and misappropriation by a network of landowners, clan leaders referred to as 'gatekeepers', police, and other local authorities in Somalia. This led to a temporary suspension of WFP funding by the European Commission in mid-September. Aid diversion was mostly recorded in Baidoa, Banadir, and Gaalkacyo, where IDPs mainly from minority clans were forced to pay gatekeepers a certain percentage of the aid they received in cash or aid products, which were then resold in markets. According to the UN investigation, aid diversion in Somalia was recurrent, widespread, and systemic. This occurred even when about 4.3 million people were expected to face Crisis (IPC Phase 3) or worse food insecurity levels and approximately 1.5 million under-five children were expected to be acutely malnourished until December 2023. (Devex 18/09/2023, Reuters 19/09/2023, IPC 18/09/2023)