SOMALIA / AID

The escalation of violence in Somalia between government forces and the Al-Shabaab militia is making delivery of aid increasingly difficult. But over a three month period, a campaign supported by UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO) managed to distribute health packages to nearly half a million women and children throughout the capital, Mogadishu. UNICEF

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:02:24
• Production Date: 15 February 2010
• Asset Language: Original
• Corporate Name: UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN'S FUND - UNICEF
• Subject Topical: NUTRITION; HEALTH SERVICES; DISEASE PREVENTION; DISEASE CONTROL; HUMANITARIAN RELIEF
• Geographic Subject: SOMALIA
• MAMS Id: U100215b

Description

STORY: SOMALIA / AID
TRT: 2.24
SOURCE: UNICEF
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: SOMALI / NATS

DATELINE: 8 JANUARY 2010 NEW YORK CITY, OCTOBER 2009, MOGADISHU, SOMALIA

Shotlist

UNICEF - 28 OCTOBER 2009, AFGOYE CORRIDOR , SOMALIA

1. Wide shot, damaged down house
2. Med shot, children playing in their camps for displaced people

UNICEF OCTOBER 2009, MOGADISHU, SOMALIA

3. Wide shot, Mogadishu street and ruined buildings

UNICEF - 28 OCTOBER 2009, AFGOYE CORRIDOR , SOMALIA

4. Med shot, mother and child walking along the streets
5. Various shots, mothers and children waiting to receive services woman in alleyway with kids

UNICEF OCTOBER 2009, MOGADISHU, SOMALIA

6. Wide shot, health workers and mothers at CHD site
7. Close up, baby receiving DPT vaccination
8. Close up, child receiving polio vaccine
9. Med shot, baby girl vaccinated against measles
10. Med shot, young girl receiving ORS long line

UNICEF 8 JANUARY 2010, NEW YORK CITY

11. Wide shot, exterior, UNCIEF
12. Close up, UNICEF sign
13. SOUNDBITE (English) Patrick McCormick, Spokesman, UNICEF:
“Work being done on nutrition, education, protection health. Problems in southern Somalia are amongst the worst for children in the world without any question. I believe there are some 1.9 million children who are need of some sort of humanitarian assistance at any given time. So it’s a very critical operation.”

UNICEF OCTOBER 2009, MOGADISHU, SOMALIA

14. Med shot, children waiting for their vaccines
15. Med shot, Mother holding child
16. Close up, child being immunized
17. Med shot, woman holding child and talking with health workers
18. Med shot, woman receiveing box of medicine
19. Med shot, child taking oral immunization
20. Zoom in, CHD supplies
21. Med shot, box being opened
22. Med shot, CHD staff walking towards camera in Mogadishu street towards site
23. SOUNDBITE, Halima Elmi, mother of eight (Somali):
“Our living conditions are not good. We don’t have health facilities, no water, no shelter, and we don’t have job opportunities. I came today to see health workers who have vaccines. This is what the people need.”
24. Close up, woman holding baby
25. Med shot, three staff members sitting outside
26. Close up, child crying while being vaccinated
27. Close up, child taking oral immunization
28. Med shot, mother holding child and taking bob of drugs
29. Med shot, CHD vaccine cool boxes and syringe safety boxes
30. Close up, CHD vaccine cool boxes
31. Med shot, woman with child and talking with health workers
32. Med shot, worker writing on registration form
33. Med shot, child sitting on mother’s lap
34. Med shot, children cueing to be immunized
35. Med shot, mother and child
36. Various shots, child’s MUAC measured

Storyline

The escalation of violence in Somalia between government forces and the Al-Shabaab militia is making delivery of aid increasingly difficult.
Since the beginning of February, more than 8,000 people have left the city to escape the fighting that is said to be raging in several areas.
Malnutrition is a chronic problem in all areas of Somalia and appears primarily because of drought, flooding or localized conflict.
And without access to food, the quality of diet and environmental conditions contribute to the poor nutritional status of children.

SOUNDBITE (English) Patrick McCormick, Spokesman, UNICEF:
“Work being done on nutrition, education, protection health. Problems in southern Somalia are amongst the worst for children in the world without any question. I believe there are some 1.9 million children who are need of some sort of humanitarian assistance at any given time. So it’s a very critical operation.”

But over a three month period, a campaign supported by UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO) managed to distribute health packages to nearly half a million women and children throughout the capital, Mogadishu.

With the help of local authorities and community organizations, children were immunized against polio, measles, diphtheria, whooping cough and tetanus, and received Vitamin A, de-worming tablets and nutritional screening.

SOUNDBITE, Halima Elmi, mother of eight (Somali):
“Our living conditions are not good. We don’t have health facilities, no water, no shelter, and we don’t have job opportunities. I came today to see health workers who have vaccines. This is what the people need.”

Micronutrient deficiencies are serious health issues facing the population. Anemia is suspected to be high among women and adolescents, and iodine deficiency is a public health concern as access to iodized salt is extremely low.

Part of the success of the campaign was its flexibility, all vaccines, supplies and health workers were on stand-by, ready to begin when and where the security situation allowed.
There are more than 1.4 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the Horn of Africa nation owing to escalating violence and a worsening humanitarian situation, with another 560,000 Somalis living as refugees in neighbouring and nearby countries.