Drought crisis in Africa could soon be catastrophe as child suffering worsens, warns Minister Colm Brophy
COUNTRIES in the Horn of Africa traditionally experienced two wet seasons each year — one in March and another in October.
The past four have failed, meaning it has not rained in the region for two years.
Somalia is the most severely affected country.
In Kenya, the Turkana region in the north is the worst hit.
Minister Brophy spent a week in the Horn of Africa, visiting South Sudan and Turkana, where he witnessed programmes run by Concern Worldwide and Oxfam Ireland.
These provide food and cash to people in need.
He said: “This drought is unprecedented and has left millions of people without any means to provide for themselves.
“Malnutrition rates in clinics have doubled since February and are going to worsen as the drought continues.
“The children I saw are already dangerously malnourished. Their arms are the width of an adult finger.
“Without aid to support them, these kids would be at real risk of starvation.
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“It was heartbreaking to speak with their mothers, who are doing everything they can but are terrified about what the future holds.
“More than 1.5million animals in Kenya have died because of the drought. I met with communities who were completely reliant on those animals for food and money.
“Without them, they have nothing. They are hungry and desperate. People are already dying because of this drought.
“I heard horrific stories about children in Somalia dying on the side of the road as they walk in search of help.
"Their mothers have to bury them, then continue their own search for food.
“Through Irish Aid, the Government has provided close to €80million in humanitarian support for the Horn of Africa since the start of last year.
"We are working closely with NGOs (Non-Governmental Organisations) such as Concern, Oxfam Ireland and Trócaire, as well as all our UN partners, to make sure that money is saving lives.
“Without aid, people here simply couldn’t survive.
“The situation is already a crisis but there is a real fear that it will soon turn into a humanitarian catastrophe.
“Four rainy seasons have already failed and the prospects for the next two aren’t good. People have already gone two years without rain.
"If they have to endure another year of extreme drought, we could be looking at a famine situation where hundreds of thousands of lives are at risk.”
HUNGER SCALE
The UN ranks hunger on a scale of five. People in Turkana are now at level four. The next level (five) is famine.
Special malnutrition clinics have been set up to treat those already suffering.
But people are being kept from famine by aid. If the next rainy seasons fail, the current level of help in the region will not be sufficient to keep famine at bay.
Minister Brophy added: “The world simply has to act to prevent this becoming a tragedy, the sort of which hasn’t been seen for decades.
“We need more international support for aid efforts in the region.
That is why the Government has announced more than €3million in additional support. It’s not possible to have seen those scenes and not be moved to help.”
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Of this €3.2million cashpot, €1.5million will be provided to seven Irish NGO partners — Trócaire, Concern, GOAL, Oxfam Ireland, Christian Aid Ireland, Plan International Ireland and World Vision — to meet the needs of those worst affected by food insecurity in Kenya, Somalia, Ethiopia and South Sudan.
A further €500,000 will be given to UNICEF to provide therapeutic food to severely-malnourished children under five in Kenya.
