Emergency Health and Nutrition in Somali Region, Jarar, Shabelle and Fafan Zones Mercy Corps (MC) proposes to immediately address the urgent, critical needs of the most vulnerable communities affected by consecutive droughts and, in some woredas, compounded by the influx of conflict-induced Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the following 13 woredas in the Somali Region: Jarar Zone, Ararso, Aware, Birkod, Dig, Yo’ale , Degehamedo, Gunagado, Bililbur woredas Shabelle Zone, Denan, East Imi, Ber’anno and Abakorow woredas Fafan Zone, Tuliguled woredas.  

The overall objective of the project is to support the regional government to reduce morbidity and mortality associated with under-nutrition and increased illnesses (primarily diarrhea, pneumonia, malaria and acute water diarrhea/AWD) of communities affected by drought, conflict and with poor access to primary health care services.  Woredas were selected in close consultation with the coordinating bodies at federal (Emergency Nutrition Coordination Unit/ENCU, Multi-Agency Nutrition Task Force/MANTF, World Food Programme/WFP, Health Cluster and WHO) regional levels and based on high caseloads, woreda capacity and prevalence of conflict, disease and IDPs. MC has been present in these woredas as of 2016 and 2017 and proposed interventions are tailored per woreda (Attachment 1) based on our deep understanding of the needs, the government capacity to response, and objective to save lives while also supporting  systems strengthening.
MC aims to address both moderate and severe acute malnutrition and reach 75,286 beneficiaries (CU5 and PLW) through the full Community based Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) continuum of care which includes community mobilization Outpatient Therapeutic Program (OTP) Stabilization Center (SC) and Targeted Supplementary Feeding Program (TSFP). The TSFP program will rely on the TSFP commodity availability pipeline from WFP which currently provides for P1 woredas only and therefore the TSFP component of this project is contingent upon regular food availability from WFP. All beneficiaries will receive targeted counseling on Maternal Infant and Young Child Nutrition (MIYCN) emphasizing infant and young child feeding (IYCF) and personal and household level hygiene. Mobile Health Nutrition Teams (MHNTs) will be deployed to reach the IDP camps and other hard to reach areas in both woredas by providing primary health care services including vaccinations and antenatal care. 

The intervention comprises the following outcomes:

Nutrition –CMAM:
Outcome 1: Improved nutrition capacity to manage severe acute malnutrition (SAM), with and without complications, using Community-Based Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM)
Outcome 2: Improved capacity to manage moderate malnutrition (MAM) among children 6 – 59 months, pregnant women and lactating mothers with children less than 6 months old
Outcome 3: Increased awareness of community members on the importance of optimal infant and young child feeding and caring practices and other nutrition related topics, as well as hygiene-related behaviors 

Health 
Outcome 1: Diagnosis Consultation and treatment of common diseases with a focus on of child illnesses and maternal and reproductive health services.  Child health service (IMNCI) to treat common causes of child mortality

Beneficiaries who are suffering from common communicable and non – communicable diseases and other illnesses who have no access to health facilities/services will receive free-of-charge treatment and medical consultation at nearby locations. Children will be treated as per the IMNCI guideline

Outcome 2. Maternal health including ANC, PNC and FP

All pregnant mothers who have no/insufficient access to maternal health services at facility level will get antenatal and postnatal care services plus family planning and timely referral of emergencies