{"id":12025,"date":"2021-05-19T23:58:57","date_gmt":"2021-05-20T06:58:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/worldcampaign.net\/?p=12025"},"modified":"2021-05-21T03:56:21","modified_gmt":"2021-05-21T10:56:21","slug":"post1-138","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worldcampaign.net\/?p=12025","title":{"rendered":"&#8220;Massive increase in food needed as famine looms in southern Madagascar&#8221;, M\u00e9decins Sans Fronti\u00e8res"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span class=\"[ inline border-r border-red pr-20 mr-20 font-tiempos-italic text-11 leading-18 ] [ lg:pr-15 lg:mr-15 lg:text-13 lg:leading-22 ]\">Press Release,\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"[ inline-block font-tiempos-italic text-11 leading-18 ] [ lg:text-13 lg:leading-22 ]\">17 May 2021<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"runner\">ANTANANARIVO\/PARIS<\/span> \u2013 An immediate and massive increase in food aid is urgently needed for people in southern <a href=\"https:\/\/www.msf.org\/madagascar\" data-entity-substitution=\"canonical\" data-entity-type=\"taxonomy_term\" data-entity-uuid=\"a75de536-0bc5-4094-8442-c11dbfe40abd\">Madagascar<\/a>, says M\u00e9decins Sans Fronti\u00e8res (MSF). Our teams in the region are witnessing an exceptionally <a href=\"https:\/\/www.msf.org\/malnutrition\" data-entity-substitution=\"canonical\" data-entity-type=\"taxonomy_term\" data-entity-uuid=\"06292b77-1f2a-437a-a5d2-e62a1dc3208e\">severe malnutrition crisis<\/a> which, in some places, borders on famine.<\/p>\n<header id=\"\" class=\"article-meta toolkit js-toolkit [ relative ]\" data-toolkit=\"article-meta\">\n<aside id=\"\" class=\"toolkit tags js-toolkit [ mx-1\/10 ] [ md:ml-6\/20 md:mx-0 md:w-1\/2 ] [ lg:absolute lg:pin-t lg:pin-l lg:w-3\/20 lg:ml-15\/20 ]\" data-toolkit=\"tags\"><span class=\"eyebrow [ m-0 ] [ font-america-condensed text-10 leading-15 tracking-wide uppercase no-underline ] [ lg:text-12 lg:leading-22 ] [ block mb-6 ]\">RELATED<\/span><\/p>\n<ul class=\"[ list-reset ] [ lg:flex lg:flex-wrap lg:flex-col ]\">\n<li class=\"[ mr-15 ] [ md:mb-6 ] [ lg:mr-0 ]\"><a class=\"[ no-underline uppercase ]\" title=\"Malnutrition\" href=\"https:\/\/www.msf.org\/malnutrition\"><span class=\"eyebrow [ m-0 ] [ font-america-condensed text-10 leading-15 tracking-wide uppercase no-underline ] [ lg:text-12 lg:leading-22 ] \">MALNUTRITION<\/span> <\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"\"><a class=\"[ no-underline uppercase ]\" title=\"Madagascar\" href=\"https:\/\/www.msf.org\/madagascar\"><span class=\"eyebrow [ m-0 ] [ font-america-condensed text-10 leading-15 tracking-wide uppercase no-underline ] [ lg:text-12 lg:leading-22 ] \">MADAGASCAR<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/aside>\n<\/header>\n<div id=\"key-takeaways-293170\" class=\"toolkit key-takeaways [ relative ml-1\/10 mr-1\/10 ] [ md:w-1\/2 md:ml-6\/20 ] [ lg:w-9\/20 lg:ml-5\/20 ] js-toolkit \" data-toolkit=\"key-takeaways\">\n<div class=\"key-takeaways__content\">\n<ul>\n<li>A combination of factors, including the worst drought in 30 years, has seen food stocks plummet in southern Madagascar.<\/li>\n<li>The result has been an exponential increase in the number of people \u2013 and not just children \u2013 who are malnourished, even starving.<\/li>\n<li>MSF urges for the immediate and substantial scale up of financial, logistical and human resources to address the crisis.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re seeing totally destitute people who have literally nothing to eat and are teetering on the edge of survival,\u201d says Julie Revers\u00e9, MSF operations coordinator in Madagascar. \u201cSome have had to sell their cooking utensils and don\u2019t even have containers to fetch water.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In some villages in Amboasary district in An\u00f4sy region, MSF teams have found an average of 28 per cent of children under five are acutely malnourished, one-third of whom have severe malnutrition and are therefore at high risk of death.<\/p>\n<div id=\"text-block-293171\" class=\"toolkit text-block [ ml-1\/10 mr-1\/10 ] [ md:ml-6\/20 md:w-11\/20 ] [ lg:ml-5\/20 lg:w-9\/20 ] js-toolkit\" data-toolkit=\"text-block\">In Madgascar&#8217;s southern region, the drought and lack of food are hitting people hard:<\/div>\n<section id=\"big-numbers-293175\" class=\"component big-numbers js-component [ mt-50 mb-60 ] [ md:mt-40 md:mb-40 ] [ lg:mt-60 lg:mb-60 ]\" data-component=\"big-numbers\">\n<div class=\"container\">\n<div class=\"big-numbers__header [ flex flex-col mr-1\/10 ml-1\/10 mb-40 ] [ md:flex-row md:flex-start md:mr-1\/20 md:ml-5\/20 md:mb-40 ] [ lg:mb-60 ]\">\n<div class=\"big-numbers__description\">\n<p class=\"[ text-14 leading-23 ] [ lg:text-16 lg:leading-25 ]\">According to recent figures released by Madagascar\u2019s nutrition surveillance system, UN agencies and similar organisations operating in the region, 74,000 children across the southern region of Madagascar are acutely malnourished, 12,000 of whom have severe malnutrition \u2013 an increase of 80 per cent compared to the last quarter of 2020. Almost 14,000 people in Amboasary, one of the worst affected districts, are now considered to be starving.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<div id=\"text-block-293176\" class=\"toolkit text-block [ ml-1\/10 mr-1\/10 ] [ md:ml-6\/20 md:w-11\/20 ] [ lg:ml-5\/20 lg:w-9\/20 ] js-toolkit\" data-toolkit=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"text-block__content\">\n<p>\u201cOne alarming indicator is that the 2,200 people treated by MSF for acute malnutrition since the end of March include children under five, but also adolescents and adults,\u201d says Revers\u00e9.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<figure id=\"image-293177\" class=\"toolkit image-embed image-embed-- [ mt-0 mb-0 ml-0 mr-0 ] [ md:w-13\/20 md:ml-5\/20 ] [ lg:w-11\/20 lg:ml-4\/20 ] js-toolkit \" data-toolkit=\"image-\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/img.msf.org\/AssetLink\/rdr842uix38qjjmm6kycl053u04weoa4.jpg 1x\" type=\"image\/jpeg\" media=\"all and (min-width: 1200px)\" \/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/img.msf.org\/AssetLink\/hqixw08j4ubf61m10k327x617ttlj063.jpg 1x\" type=\"image\/jpeg\" media=\"(min-width: 750px) and (max-width: 1199px)\" \/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/img.msf.org\/AssetLink\/d46q0iarg33ci812ye4v5egn8q643y08.jpg 1x\" type=\"image\/jpeg\" media=\"all and (max-width: 749px)\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"Malnutrition emergency: mobile clinic in Ranobe - Portrait Metee\" src=\"https:\/\/img.msf.org\/AssetLink\/blwijge412m6h05852en76f5oqn1uqs8.jpg\" alt=\"Malnutrition emergency: mobile clinic in Ranobe - Portrait Metee\" \/><\/picture><figcaption class=\"caption [ m-0 ] [ font-tiempos text-11 leading-20 text-grey-emperor ] [ lg:text-14 lg:leading-22 ] [ relative mb-15 md:mb-13 lg:mb-19 ]\">Metee has brought her daughter to the MSF mobile clinic in Ranobe after she fell ill. Madagascar, April 2021.<\/figcaption><div class=\"image-embed__container [ relative pl-1\/10 pr-1\/10 ml-1\/10 mt-28 ] [ md:mt-29 ] [ lg:mt-27 ]\">\n<p><span class=\"eyebrow [ m-0 ] [ font-america-condensed text-10 leading-15 tracking-wide uppercase no-underline ] [ lg:text-12 lg:leading-22 ] \">IAKO M. RANDRIANARIVELO<\/span><\/p>\n<aside class=\"share js-share [ relative ]\"><a class=\"share__toggle js-share-toggle [ inline-flex items-center no-underline ]\" title=\"Share\"><span class=\"eyebrow [ m-0 ] [ font-america-condensed text-10 leading-15 tracking-wide uppercase no-underline ] [ lg:text-12 lg:leading-22 ] [ ml-13 text-black uppercase ]\">SHARE<\/span><\/a><\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<div id=\"expandable-block-293178\" class=\"expandable-block toolkit [ ml-1\/10 mr-1\/10 ] [ md:pt-48 md:ml-6\/20 ] [ lg:ml-5\/20 lg:w-9\/20 ] js-expandable-block\">\n<div class=\"js-expandable-block-trigger\">\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 8pt;\">{Read what Metee (above, with her daughter) says about the current crisis in southern Madagascar:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 8pt;\"><em>\u201cThere\u2019s no medical care available in Beraketa. It takes us hours to get to the nearest health centre (in Ebelo). They charge for medical treatment, and that isn\u2019t an option for me and my family. We have to sell things like our crockery and kitchen tools at the market to pay for treatment.\u201d<\/em>}<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe children are often sick, partly because we drink water from the river (the Mandrare). Our food doesn\u2019t vary much. We make do with the few tubers we find. Rain is our only hope, because then we\u2019ll be able to start growing food again. Everything depends on rain, and that\u2019s a rare commodity. Without it, we could well die.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"text-block-293179\" class=\"toolkit text-block [ ml-1\/10 mr-1\/10 ] [ md:ml-6\/20 md:w-11\/20 ] [ lg:ml-5\/20 lg:w-9\/20 ] js-toolkit\" data-toolkit=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"text-block__content\">\n<p>A unique combination of factors has plunged southern Madagascar into this crisis. The worst drought in 30 years has wreaked havoc on agriculture; sandstorms caused by deforestation have covered much of the arable land in sand, even destroying food sources such as cactus fruit, normally eaten as a very last resort; and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.msf.org\/covid-19\">COVID-19<\/a> has had a spill over effect on the island&#8217;s economy. Related to the ensuing food shortages are a reported rise in attacks, hold-ups and thefts of livestock, property and food.<\/p>\n<p>Other factors include a surge in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.msf.org\/malaria\">malaria <\/a>infections and a lack of access to healthcare and drinking water, which have exacerbated the health situation still further.<\/p>\n<p>Due to a lack of resources, food distributions by the World Food Programme (WFP) and other aid organisations are limited to half-day rations, while some affected villages are receiving no food aid at all. This is all the more worrying as access to food is likely to be an even bigger issue in the coming months, with little or no harvest expected in June and the onset of the lean season in October.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"parallax293180\" class=\"toolkit parallax js-toolkit js-parallax\" data-toolkit=\"parallax\">\n<picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/img.msf.org\/AssetLink\/28d811a824422h7eaxcvgv8rbg2p7g7f.jpg 1x\" type=\"image\/jpeg\" media=\"all and (min-width: 1200px)\" \/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/img.msf.org\/AssetLink\/y5312c4061i30e31n4qncc7ts33pq2fw.jpg 1x\" type=\"image\/jpeg\" media=\"(min-width: 750px) and (max-width: 1199px)\" \/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/img.msf.org\/AssetLink\/51ko2c04b8wa582i5j233q28xfdgfb81.jpg 1x\" type=\"image\/jpeg\" media=\"all and (max-width: 749px)\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"Malnutrition emergency: mobile clinic in Ranobe\" src=\"https:\/\/img.msf.org\/AssetLink\/67jp6oeji8g0d4co8w20r0m136372kk1.jpg\" alt=\"Malnutrition emergency: mobile clinic in Ranobe\" \/><\/picture>\n<aside class=\"photo-credits [ flex absolute pin-r pin-b w-full z-1 ] js-photo-credits\">\n<div class=\"photo-credits__content [ block relative w-full pl-1\/10 pr-1\/10 pt-30 pb-30 ml-auto text-white z-1 ] [ md:pb-70 md:pl-30 md:pr-30 ] [ lg:pb-48 lg:pl-40 lg:pt-35 lg:pr-40 ]\">The last patients are registered at MSF&#8217;s mobile clinic by the light of torches, due to the high volume of visitors leaving the last consultations to be held in the dark.\u00a0 MSF began setting up mobile clinics in Amboasary district in late March to screen and treat acute malnutrition in remote villages like those of Ranobe commune, providing ready-to-use therapeutic food and medical care. Ranobe, Amboasary district, Madagascar, April 2021.<span class=\"[ font-america-condensed text-8 leading-22 tracking-medium uppercase ] [ md:text-10 md:tracking-wide ] \">\u00a9 IAKO M. RANDRIANARIVELO<\/span><button class=\"photo-credits__close js-photo-credits-close [ absolute pin-r pin-b mb-18 leading-0 ] [ md:mb-23 ]\" type=\"button\"><\/button><\/div>\n<p>Getting aid to the people who need it is challenging. The island\u2019s geography brings its own specific constraints and the semi-arid southern regions have many remote villages and few paved roads.<\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"text-block-293181\" class=\"toolkit text-block [ ml-1\/10 mr-1\/10 ] [ md:ml-6\/20 md:w-11\/20 ] [ lg:ml-5\/20 lg:w-9\/20 ] js-toolkit\" data-toolkit=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"text-block__content\">\n<p>It takes at least three days to drive from the capital Antananarivo to the main town in Amboasary district, and from there it can take many hours along tracks and trails to reach the most remote villages. In addition, in mid-March the authorities introduced restrictions on entering Madagascar and travelling within the country due to the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"pullquote-293182\" class=\"toolkit pullquote [ ml-1\/10 mr-1\/10 mt-30 ] [ md:w-11\/20 md:ml-6\/20 md:mt-40 ] [ lg:w-half lg:ml-4\/20 lg:mt-60 ] js-toolkit\" data-toolkit=\"pullquote\">\u201cHundreds of thousands of people in southern Madagascar rely almost entirely on food aid,\u201d says B\u00e9reng\u00e8re Guais, MSF\u2019s head of emergency operations. \u201cA substantial effort \u2013 not only financial, but also logistical and human \u2013 is vital to ensure regular deliveries of food rations in sufficient quantities over a period of several months.\u201d<\/div>\n<div id=\"text-block-293183\" class=\"toolkit text-block [ ml-1\/10 mr-1\/10 ] [ md:ml-6\/20 md:w-11\/20 ] [ lg:ml-5\/20 lg:w-9\/20 ] js-toolkit\" data-toolkit=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"text-block__content\">\n<p>\u201cTravel must be made easier for aid workers by ensuring regular flights to enter and move around the country,\u201d continues Guais. \u201cAn entire population, spread across vast, remote areas with very little infrastructure, is in desperate need of life support. The clock is ticking.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"border-text-293184\" class=\"border-block [ pt-41 ml-1\/10 mr-1\/10 ] [ md:w-11\/20 md:pt-48 md:ml-6\/20 ] [ lg:pt-50 lg:ml-5\/20 lg:w-9\/20 ] js-toolkit\" data-toolkit=\"border\">\n<p>Since late March 2021, MSF teams have been screening and treating people for acute malnutrition and providing basic medical services through mobile clinics in Amboasary district. MSF teams are also working to improve people\u2019s access to drinking water by distributing jerry cans, repairing hand-operated pumps and treating and transporting water drawn from the river. MSF teams are currently gearing up to launch food distributions and scale up inpatient treatment for patients with severe acute malnutrition and associated medical complications.<\/p>\n<p>See Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ipcinfo.org\/ipc-country-analysis\/details-map\/en\/c\/1154855\/?iso3=MDG\">Madagascar: Acute Food Insecurity Situation April &#8211; September 2021 and Projection for October &#8211; December 2021, May 2021<\/a>; and World Food Program, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wfp.org\/news\/southern-madagascar-government-and-un-sound-alarm-famine-risk-urge-action\">Southern Madagascar: Government and UN sound the alarm on famine risk, urge action<\/a>, May 2021<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.msf.org\/food-aid-needed-famine-looms-southern-madagascar\">M\u00e9decins Sans Fronti\u00e8res<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"\" class=\"footnotes [ ml-2\/10 mr-1\/10 ] [ md:w-9\/20 md:ml-7\/20 md:mr-0 ] [ lg:w-7\/20 lg:ml-6\/20 ] js-toolkit\" data-toolkit=\"footnote\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Press Release,\u00a017 May 2021 ANTANANARIVO\/PARIS \u2013 An immediate and massive increase in food aid is urgently needed for people in southern Madagascar, says M\u00e9decins Sans Fronti\u00e8res (MSF). Our teams in the region are witnessing an exceptionally severe malnutrition crisis which, in some places, borders on famine. RELATED MALNUTRITION MADAGASCAR A combination of factors, including the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1001004,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[53],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/worldcampaign.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12025"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/worldcampaign.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/worldcampaign.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldcampaign.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1001004"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldcampaign.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=12025"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/worldcampaign.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12025\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12039,"href":"https:\/\/worldcampaign.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12025\/revisions\/12039"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/worldcampaign.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=12025"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldcampaign.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=12025"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldcampaign.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=12025"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}