Health and Food Security Emergence Response to Flood Affected Populations in Panyijar County Panyijar County has been severely affected by floods since July 2020. Approximately 5,791 (Nyal 3,577 and Ganyliel 2,214) households in Panyijiar County have been badly affected and need immediate humanitarian assistance (SSHF SA2 2020 strategy).  A similar disaster occurred to the same population last year with less severity. The floods have destroyed homes and displaced thousands from their areas of residence particularly within Payams of Tiap, Jiech, Chuk, Malouk, Kanhial, Pachar, Pachenjok, Maluak and Pachar. The flooding has led to the disruption of provision of essential health service in many areas and an overall increased incidence of malaria, diarrhoea and other preventable diseases compounding the already weak health care system.

The proposed integrated response aims to respond to life-saving assistance to support the immediate needs due to the floods through the implementation of Health and Food Security and Livelihoods activities. IRC will implement an integrated intervention aiming at 1) increasing access to primary healthcare services and strengthen epidemic preparedness and response capacity for the displaced populations and 2) enhancing access to immediate and short-term livelihood restoration support for most vulnerable flood affected, and food insecure households in IPC Phase 3+ and mitigate potential famine in Panyijiar County.

Through the health intervention, IRC will strengthen its presence in the county by targeting the populations who have moved to higher grounds while building upon other existing projects in health in the county as the lead implementing partner under the HPF funded consortium in Lot 21. IRC will seek to improve access and utilization of integrated primary healthcare services, by providing a clinical emergency package that includes screening and preventive health services, provision of curative essential health care, and referral of cases for advanced care and health surveillance, clinical management of rape and identification of survivors seeking psychological care for referral to the GBV networks using the existing referral pathways in both Ganyiel and Nyal and Early Warning, Alert and Response System (EWARS) reporting. 

IRC aims to scale-up the dry season flood response activities through provision of immediate and short-term lifesaving support to 3000 (70% female led) flood affected vulnerable and food insecure households (in IPC phase 3,4 and 5) in Panyijiar County. IRC will preposition emergency dry season agriculture and livelihoods kits from FAO Bor warehouse and scale up timely provision of these kits to the identified 3000 (70% female led) most vulnerable flood affected households in Panyijiar to restart their livelihoods. Additionally, to enhance the immediate access to life saving food support by the most affected households through improved access to nutrient dense and fish protein food products, 3000 households will receive fishing kits (immediate support) to access fish products. Households will realize immediate access to fish products by utilizing the fishing gear as well as short term vegetables foods and utilize them as they transition into the 2021 main season by April 2021. The smooth transition will avoid starvation and likely famine outbreaks and ensure survival in Panyijiar when assets and food stocks reduce further into the lean season. 

IRC is currently implementing health, nutrition, livelihoods and SGBV programs in Panyijiar County. This response will integrate the existing programmes and ensure households facing acute malnutrition, including mothers, are registered for support. Food preparation and nutrition related sensitization sessions will be organized targeting the most affected households with support from the IRC nutrition program staff. Overall IRC will support approximately 18,000 beneficiaries (10,800 women, 3600 men, 1800 boys, 1800 girls) through a six-month livelihood restoration and health project.