Emergency Health response for Conflict affected IDPs and Host Communities in Liban and Goro Dola Woredas.of Guji zone, Oromia Region, Ethiopia International Medical Corps (IMC) is a US-registered independent affiliate organization of International Medical Corps UK (IMC UK), with which IMC UK shares the same name and charitable objectives and mission. IMC UK and IMC work together to deliver assistance programs in an accountable and effective manner to pursue their commonly held charitable objectives. IMC UK will engage IMC to implement its programs in the field, with IMC UK oversight, according to the terms and conditions of the agreement that results from this proposal and the terms of the parties’ administrative service agreement. Together with IMC Croatia, IMC provides administrative and operational support to IMC UK and the programs on the ground, including but not limited to financial management, banking and cash management, procurement management/international procurements, and logistics.
This project is intended to provide a life-saving primary health care service and MHPSS support for conflict affected displaced people in two woredas of Guji zone Oromia Region. Even though, we are providing a support for the same location in BHA funding, the problem is very severe, and still there is a gap required to be addressed. More importantly, there are new IDPs who need an immediate life-saving support. Ethiopia faced the third highest, and significant internal displacement in year 2018. A significant portion of these displacements are conflict-induced, largely related to ethnic and border-based disputes. Old tensions such as the contestation of the Oromia-Somali regional border which first flared up in 2017 continue to persist, while new conflicts have also emerged. The zonal DRMO made an assessment in November 2021 in Guji zone of Oromia region, revealed presence of 144,058 IDPs in Gumi Eldalo, Liban, Goro Dola, Saba Boru and Aga Wayu woredas. Out of those IDPs, 41,083 are old IDPs who were displaced during 2018 by border conflict between Somali and Oromo Communities and 102,975 IDPs are new displaced due to current conflict between Unknown Armed Group (UAG) and Government forces. Among the IDPs in the zone 61176(42.5%) of the IDPs are in Liban and Goro Dola Woredas. The IMC’s rapid assessment conducted in 4th week of November 2021 indicated that there is high prevalence of diseases under surveillance such as measles, AFP (Acute Flaccid Paralysis), and suspected cholera cases. On top of this the routine surveillance is not as such strong and is not conducted regularly. This creates a gap in early identification and reporting of disease outbreaks which leads to delayed response.  International Medical Corps (IMC) plan to establish two MHNTs (one at Liban and one at Goro Dola) to provide free of charge life-saving primary health care which will include SRH and MHPSS services for IDPs and surrounding host communities. IMC will also conduct community mobilization and awareness creation activities. IMC will strengthen existing health system by providing trainings for health workers and health extension workers, provide Emergency Health Kit (IEHK) from WHO with donation and procurement of essential medicines and medical supplies for Health facilities, support emergency response supportive supervision and review meeting and provision of infection prevention supplies for Health centers. Also, IMC works with Zonal Health Offices and Health and nutrition cluster and other’s stakeholder on priority needs of IDPs and Host Communities affected by conflict.  IMC will support 2 HCs and 10 Health Posts in Liban and 2 HC and 12 Health Posts in Goro Dola Woreda by provision of essential medicines and medical supplies, provision of infection prevention supplies, capacity building training and epidemic diseases surveillance support. IMC will target 43,558 IDPs and Host communities, out of this, 21% of individuals will be targeted for mental health conditions, though this project can provide the support for only 5% of them which is 458 individuals.